InuYasha: The High School Experience
by Wasurera
Summary: Updated 05/21/2010 Kagome is a new transfer student with secrets, and Sesshoumaru intends to learn them - whether she wants him to or not.
1. It Starts

[ Inu-Yasha: The High School Experience ]

Okies, I'd like to thank Princess Faux again for helping me out sooooo much with editing and formatting. She's so cool! 

First off, this is my first Inu-Yasha fic. It could be rough. The idea for it was inspired by a Slayers fanfic that I am very fond of, called Slayers High School, which I found at Darkness.Rising. I just got to thinking that that it would be interesting to see the Inu-Yasha crew in a school setting. By the way, I tend to be a fan of the Sesshomaru & Kagome pairing. Don't ask why. I couldn't give you a logical answer. I blame it on the caffeine, and several fanfics that I've read. 

* * *

Inu-Yasha: The High School Experience   
By ICDragons

The morning was dismal and gray, the dark clouds overhead rolling heavily over one another while spitting out fitful smatterings of rain. 

Kagome Higurashi of the Sunset Shrine thought that it fit her first day at a new school perfectly. 

She paused for a moment to gaze upon the large, ornate gates of her new school. 

The black iron gates, open to accept the morning influx of students, were bracketed on either side by columns made of soft beige-yellow brick that punctuated the tall wall encompassing the school grounds, and supported the wrought-iron arch that was embossed with the school name. 

Mahou Meiro High School  
For Refinement of the Young and Impetuous  
Abandon Hope, All Ye Who Enter Here

The last was scrawled beneath the official lettering in neon marker. She wondered, vaguely, about what kind of weirdo had come up with that gem of a name and what might have prompted the graffiti. 

With a sigh, she trudged through the gates, mildly curious about what this strange school was going to be like. 

And immediately found herself facing the outside of the gates again. 

Reading the sign again. 

She gave herself a shake, looking around to see if any of the students streaming toward the gates had noticed, but there was no reaction. 

She tried again, walking forward until she was inside the brick columns. 

And found herself facing the outside of the gates… again. 

Reading the sign… again. 

She was about to try for the third time when an insolent, coolly amused voice rang out, laughing at her. 

"Foolish human. You will never gain entrance that way." 

Kagome looked up in surprise and annoyance to find a boy lounging atop one of the columns. He was dressed in a white uniform with gold piping, the male equivalent to her school uniform, a removed look on his face. He was obviously a powerful youkai, probably the son of a lord. 

He was gorgeous. 

Long, soft white hair, partially retained at the base of his nick with a gold tie, glided down his chest and back like a misty waterfall. It accented his ivory-pale skin and delicate features beautifully, made the stripes on his cheekbones and the crescent moon mark on his forehead stand out, and highlighted his eyes. 

And, oh, what eyes. 

Clear, bright gold, pure as a newborn's thoughts. 

And cold as a glacier's. 

They were focused on her—but only barely—as though she were as common as the grass in the heavily manicured lawn, or dust on the wind. Unworthy of notice. 

It pissed her off. 

"How exactly am I supposed to get in?" she asked, trying to reign in her temper. 

His disinterested gaze flickered away from her a moment, staring at something in the distance, and she wasn't sure that he would respond. 

His focus snapped back to her, uncanny in how direct it was. She almost felt as though cold iron had pierced her. She shivered, but held his gaze. He merely shrugged. 

"Figure it out for yourself, human. Or just go back home." With that he gracefully leapt off of the wall, back toward the school that she had been unable to reach. 

Kagome swore. 

She watched the gates for a few moments, noting that the other students weren't having any trouble coming and going. 

She tried to get through once more, only to be cast back out. Attempts to talk to the other students resulted in cold shoulders, and an occasional glare. Once again, she was reminded of the fact that she didn't want to go to this school, she didn't have a choice, and she didn't have any friends here. In fact, she doubted that she would ever see a friendly face again. With a frustrated groan, she began to look around for a tree to climb. 

If the Jerk-of-a-beautiful boy could go over the wall, so could she. 

After a quick glance around to make sure no one was looking—after all, she was wearing a skirt—she found suitable tree not too far away and set herself to climbing it. 

Climbing up the sturdy trunk wasn't difficult, but sliding along the branches, which swayed disconcertingly, was horribly unnerving. She was perched precariously on a branch, stretching with her foot to touch the top of the wall, and she almost had it… 

"Hey you! Get down!" 

Kagome let out a gasp of surprise, losing her balance. She scrabbled desperately for purchase on the branch, but couldn't get a grip on the rough bark. She felt herself plummeting to the ground and prepared herself for a very painful and possibly fatal landing. 

She never hit the ground. She found herself clasped in a warm pair of arms and tucked against a strong chest. 

Her heart was pounding with fear as the person who carried her landed gently on the ground. 

She slowly looked up. 

At first she thought that the gorgeous Jerk had come back to make fun of her, but realized right away that it wasn't him. 

She realized that it was the gold eyes that had thrown her off. They were the same color as the other boy's. The hair was also white, but it was more wild and rugged looking. 

Wire to the Jerk's silk. His features were more cute than beautiful, and he didn't carry the markings that the Jerk had. 

His eyes widened in surprise as he looked down at her face. 

"Kikyo?" he asked, bewildered. 

* * *

**Translation notes**:  
Mahou = Magic  
Meiro = Labyrinth  
Youkai = Demon  



	2. The Fight

Second Chapter

Second Chapter!Sorry for the cliffhanger at the end of the last one.Couldn't help it.In fact, I'll probably do it again!

This Chapter is for Marie, who encouraged me to continue writing this because she was "intrigued".Love ya, Marie.In a strictly platonic, non-lesbian kind of way.^.~I'd also like to say that Princess Faux was a big influence in the birth of this strange little story, just by writing such quality fan fiction so well.Ja ne!

(PS, beware of the penguins……..Doobedoobedoooooo……)

***

Inu-Yasha:The High School Experience Chapter 2 "The Fight"

***

Kagome stared up at the face of the cute boy, wondering why he was calling her someone else's name.Still a little dazed from her plunge from the tree and near miss of the ground, she didn't really know how to respond.She settled on the simplest and most straightforward thing she could think of.

"What?"

The boy gave a start, visually shaking himself.After a moment his eyes, previously warm and wondering, grew cold and remote.The look on his face glazed over, reminding her of an actor slipping on a mask, until it was eerily reminiscent of the Jerk's glacial expression.She could have sworn they were brothers.

"Nothing!What were you doing climbing that tree, you idiot?Don't you know that is against the rules?"He demanded, his voice gone harsh.It was a far cry from the soft tone he had used when he had first spoken to her, labeling her with another girl's name.For a moment, she doubted that he had ever been touched by the warmth that she had seen in his gaze.She almost chalked it up to a moment of insanity due to the shock of falling out of the tree, but the image flashed too vividly in her mind for her to dismiss it so easily.

"Put me down!"She snapped, fed up with having boys who didn't even know her sniping at her about what she was doing wrong.She struggled a bit in his arms, trying to enforce her demand, but he held tight until she knew that it would be HIS choice to put her down.She realized that he, too, was a Youkai, as the Jerk was.Or at least, he had to have Youkai blood.He was too strong to be merely human.She was still glaring her displeasure at him when she spotted the ears.

Fuzzy, white, dog-ears.

Cute, fuzzy, white dog-ears.On top of his head.

Unable to resist, she reached up and rubbed them, taking in their soft texture and the warmth that the gave off.

For a stunned moment, the boy was unable to react, just staring at her in disbelief, uncomprehending of the fact that a girl—a HUMAN girl—was petting his ears.

Then he growled.

"What the HELL do you think you are doing?!"

He was bellowing in her face, and his grip was getting uncomfortably tight around her.She was stressed and emotionally overwrought from the events of the day.The day that still hadn't officially started.

Something inside of her snapped, and she started yelling, not taking into account the fact that she was talking back to a bearer of Youkai blood.

"What did it LOOK like I was doing, enjoying the view?!I was trying to get to a school that I don't even want to go to that has a cursed gate that won't let me in, trying to deal with a smart-ass Jerk who makes fun of me and a Jackass who yells at me after making me fall out of the tree I was climbing to get over the wall because NO ONE will tell me how to get in!"Her breath was accelerating with the force of her anger, and blood was rushing to her cheeks.

After her outburst all was silent.She could hear the distant sounds of cars driving by, and the sounds of the other students making their way to the school, their conversations flowing to her over the moist breeze.

Into that near-silence the distinct and prettily delicate sound of the school chimes rang, announcing that school was starting.Kagome let her head drop in defeat, all but feeling the world closing in around her.

"Now I'm going to be late.This is the worst day I've ever had the ill fortune to have to suffer through.What did I do to warrant such bad luck?"Her sigh turned into a gasp as she realized that the boy was setting her down.He kept his grip on her arms as he looked at her, almost as though she were some strange, exotic insect to be studied.

Or as though she were a sideshow at a circus.

"I meant, what were you doing rubbing my ears?"He said carefully, too taken aback to make it sound belligerent.Kagome flushed a deeper shade of pink than the hue her anger had painted her, making her face feel as though there were flames licking underneath the surface of her skin.

"Oh…" She said in a small voice, her mind racing to give her a rational explanation for her fondling of the Youkai's ears."W-Well…um…" she stammered, unable to find a way to justify it.The boy looked like he was getting angry again, and was about to say something—doubtless something that wouldn't be very nice—when they were interrupted.

"Ah, little brother.I see you are socializing with humans again.How appropriate."

Kagome recognized the voice right away.And began to scowl.

As she turned away from the cute boy's now-lax arms, she wondered how she had managed to have enough bad luck to have to deal with the same gorgeous Jerk twice in a ten minute time period.

The boy next to her growled, a dark and animalistic sound that rose from his chest and throat. Kagome could feel the vibration of it in her stomach, much as one would a g-force.

"Sesshomaru!"The boy barked. 

'_I was right,_ Kagome thought, _'they ARE brothers'._

***

The boy looked angry.

Very, very angry.

'_Good,' _Sesshomaru thought.'_He and that human were getting too close'._He shook his head in disgust, disbelieving that _anyone_ with Youkai blood running through their veins would associate themselves with humans.

Humans were stupid, only good as servants.Sometimes, they weren't good for even that.

If one associated oneself with servants, they would become no better than those servants.

Sesshomaru didn't want his little brother to become stupid and useless.He cared for him…to a degree.As much as one could care for a half-breed bearing human blood.Enough to want to keep him from the company of the idiot girl.After all, any stain that his little brother put on the family name would also reflect on Sesshomaru.

Sesshomaru didn't like stains.

"Keeping company with fools won't get you anywhere in life, Inu-Yasha.Don't you know that?" Sesshomaru taunted, throwing the words out like barbs to catch his little brother.

Inu-Yasha growled, about to yell something.Probably a challenge.That was just like his hanyou little brother; too stupid to know how to argue a point.Obvioulsy a result of bearing human blood.To Sesshomaru's vague surprise, the girl with Inu-Yasha beat him, tearing out an angry response.

"Who are you calling a fool, pretty boy?I'm not the one making myself late to class for a stupid stand off.You're the one making anything an issue!Thanks to you, we'll both be too late to even make it to class!"she snarled.

He arched one eyebrow.Pretty boy?

"As I recall, _you_ are the reason that he is running late, human. Don't involve yourself in arguments with your superiors."Sesshomaru dismissed her.

***

The girl was fuming.

"And as _I_ recall, oh mighty superior one, I wouldn't have been running late if _you_ had just told me how to get in through the stupid gates!" her voice started quiet.By the time she had finished the sentence, she was yelling at the Youkai, making Inu-Yasha flinch and cover his sensitive ears.

Inu-Yasha looked between the two combatants in confusion.A human was arguing with Sesshomaru.A _human_ was arguing with his brother, who was known for his utter hatred of the species.He blinked as he realized that Sesshomaru was speaking to the girl again.Normally, if a human spoke back to Sesshomaru, they would have been critically wounded before the first word was completely spoken.

"—f you would go back to the vermin school you came from.Better yet, go find a master to serve under, as an education does nothing for a human anyway."Sesshomaru finished.His voice was level and monotone, but Inu-Yasha 

could see a spark of anger in his eyes.It matched the light of anger in the girl's eyes.

"Is THAT what you think?!That humans are worthless?That we are idiots?!You don't know anything—"

"Ah-hem."

Everyone looked in the direction that the voice had come from.An older woman stood near them, lines of wisdom carved in her face.One eye was covered by a black eye-patch, but for some reason it didn't cast her features in a cruel light.She looked gentle.

"Excuse me.I'm afraid I'll have to take you all to the office.You are all tardy, and loitering on school grounds."

***

Translation notes

Youkai = demon

Hanyou = half demon

Ok, the lady IS Kaede.One of my friends (prolly Marie) figured that Kaede is only in her mid fifties.In the comic, she 

looks much older than that.My mom is fiftyeigh--*cough* um, in that age range, and she doesn't look like a hag.We 

figured it was probably the stress of growing too old too fast that is common in history.It was a hard life.Since this is 

set in modern settings, I figured I could make Kaede look more her age.So there!That's that.

Doobedoobedoooooo……


	3. The Principal's Office

Chapter three

Chapter three!Woo, I'm whippin' 'em out!All because Marie tells me to.She says jump, I ask how high.;.;Evil, evil Marie.Plus, school starts soon, and I don't know if I'll be able to do much work on it after that.Also, thanks to Nell, rubber-duckey-sama, Rymsie, The Lady Galadriel, Misao, and TJ for their nice reviews, and Princess Faux for her feedback.You guys are what keep me turning out a chapter nearly every night.I'm trying to get the HTML to work with me, so bear with me if this doesn't look right or is difficult to read.If it is, I will keep reposting it with changes until I get it right.Easy reading contributes a lot to enjoyment of story.Ja ne!^.~

***

Inu-Yasha: The High School Experience, Chapter 3"The Principal's Office" 

***

The Office wasn't a particularly frightening place, which was a surprise when the imposing and elegant exterior of the yellow-brick school building was taken into account.It was airy and well lit, with large windows, neutral gray carpet and soothing pastel-blue walls.The men and women working at the desks in the cubicles that honeycombed the room had kind faces, and a few of them even looked up and smiled as Kagome, Inu-Yasha, and Sesshomaru trudged by in the wake of the woman with the eye patch.

They came to a stop outside of a doorway that had a shiny brass plaque studded above it proclaiming that the Principal's personal domain was within.

The eye-patch bearing woman opened the door and held it for the students.After they were all inside the room, she closed the door quietly and went around to the far side of a large mahogany desk that was polished to a mirror sheen and dominated the room.Papers, folders, and office supplies were all arranged neatly atop it, and a blue glass flower vase sporting spring flowers rose from the upper left corner.They, along with the soft watercolors of the countryside that graced the walls along with plaques and framed degrees, gave the room a comfortable look.

She gestured that they should sit in the well-stuffed, comfortable-looking chairs across from her as she settled herself into her own high-backed, padded chair.Settling into her own chair, Kagome gave a mental start when she realized that this woman was the Principal herself.The Plaque on her desk read "Principal Kaede".Kagome wondered why there was no last name on it.

"Now, can any of you explain to me why I looked out of my window several minutes ago to see a girl climbing a tree?"Ms. Kaede inquired, her eye sweeping over the trio in front of her, her manner calm and businesslike.

For a moment, silence was the only response to her inquiry.

Then the room exploded with the sounds of a girl, a Youkai and a Hanyou all trying to say their pieces at once.

Ms. Kaede frowned and shushed them all, earning her a glare from Inu-Yasha and a coolly disapproving look from Sesshomaru.She pointed to Kagome.

"You.Since you were the one going over the wall, you probably know what this is about the best.What were you doing?"

Kagome braced herself and stood up, not wanting to sound as irate as she was.Although angering the Principal of her new school would just about top off her list of occurrences to make this the worst day of her life, it was _not_ something she was going to do.After a few cleansing breaths and a good mental shake, she began her story.

***

"My name is Kagome Higurashi.I just transferred here from another school, and this morning when I arrived, I couldn't get through the gates," she blushed, realizing how stupid this probably sounded to Ms. Kaede, but continued despite her discomfort, "After I had tried several times, he," she pointed to Sesshomaru, "came out and taunted me—"She was interrupted by Sesshomaru's disdainful snort.

"I didn't taunt you, girl.I just pointed out the obvious."He said, his voice void of emotion.His eyes, however, sparked with anger.

"Oh, well, _excuse_ me.The obvious was pointed out to me, in such a way that I still didn't know how to get in.None of the other students would tell me either.You don't have many nice students here, Ms. Kaede.Sorry to tell you."Kagome said, pointedly ignoring the icy glances that Sesshomaru was sending in her direction.Ms. Kaede sighed, a long-suffering sound, apparently annoyed with the boy.

"If Sesshomaru indicated that he had a particular dislike for you, I'm not surprised by the students' reactions," she said.At Kagome's odd look she just shook her head."Continue.I get the feeling that the story gets more interesting."

Kagome cleared her throat, a bit nervous now that she was coming to the tree-climbing.She had a sinking feeling that tree-climbing, even for a good reason, was strictly prohibited at her new school._Then again_, she thought, measuring Principal Kaede with her eyes as she began speaking again, _she doesn't seem like an irrational person.Maybe she will see my side._

"After realizing that I wouldn't be able to get in through the gates, I decided to search for an alternative way to get into the school grounds," she glanced out the window, realizing that Ms. Kaede had been speaking literally when she said that she had looked out her window to see the happenings that morning.She could see the tree standing over the wall, its branches extending gracefully over the school grounds. "I climbed that tree," Kagome said, pointing out the window, "in order to get in.I was almost touching the top of the wall when—Inu-Yasha, was it?" she said, directing her question to the Hanyou.At his grudging nod, she continued. "Inu-Yasha surprised me, and I fell.He caught me, and we were trying to straighten things out when THAT Jer—ah, _helpful student_, showed up and started to bully us."Kagome finished.She let out a shuddering breath and sat down again.

For a moment, Principal Kaede was silent, leaning back in her chair with stippled fingers resting against her lips as she thought.Her gaze swept over the students in front of her again, and she seemed to come to a decision.

"I apologize for the difficulties you have had on your fist day, Kagome.You should have received mail from the school telling you what your personal key-spell for entering the school grounds was.As our school is a private establishment, we do not allow anyone other than Students, Staff, and a few select others onto the school premises.I'll see that you get a key-spell before you leave today, so that we can avoid any more situations like today," her gaze slid to Inu-Yasha."I thank you for your help, Inu-Yasha.If not for you, we could have had a very unpleasant situation on our hands."Her gaze moved to Sesshomaru, the final participant in the little drama that had played out in front of her."You, Sesshomaru, being the kindhearted and informative soul that you are, won't have a problem with showing Miss Higurashi around, will you?"She asked.

She overrode any answer that he would have made by clapping her hands together and standing up, obviously dismissing them."Well, then.I suppose you should all go.I'll have one of the secretaries write you passes to your first class.Have a nice day."She shoo'd them out of her office, shutting the door behind them.

Inu-Yasha muttered a "Feh," and walked away, glancing back at Sesshomaru and Kagome, obviously puzzled and somewhat annoyed.

Kagome and the "Jerk" were alone together. 

She scowled.

He growled.

***

That's it for this chapter, buckos!

Translation notes

Youkai = demon

Hanyou = half demon


	4. The Tour part 1

Alrighty

Alrighty!Chapter four underway!Thanks this time to sailorscully, ~*WaterAngel*~, and raine for your reviews.To sailorscully and ~*WaterAngel*~, okayokayokayokayokayokay!I'm continuing!The show will go on!This story could go off in random directions, just as a warning to all o' you out there.Anyone who likes the Kagome/Sesshomaru pairing should check out "The Difference" by Princess Faux and "Full Circle" by Shun'u."Prelude" is the story that sets up the Kagome/Sesshomaru/Rin relationship in "Full Circle."These are the most well written Inu-Yasha fics I've come across recently, and the relationships between Fluffy and Kagome are so true to character it's almost scary!@.@(In the case of "The Difference".If you have a fic that you like a lot, let me know!I always like reading good fanfiction!By the way, I am currently planning on revising the chapters that I have up, and plan on doing the revisions BEFORE I post on the next story (and possibly later chapters of this one,) for Quality Control purposes.;DIf I write any more on these notes, they will be longer than the chapter!I'm shutting up now!Once again, I appreciate the feedback I'm getting.It's keeping the chapters coming!Ja ne! ^.^

***

Inu-Yasha: The High School Experience, Chapter 4"The Tour"

***

Kagome glared at the back of the Jerk's head, wishing that she could pull that smooth white hair out strand by glossy strand, as she followed him down the long, echoingly vacant corridor that would eventually take them to their first class."Eventually" being used as a loose term.Kagome was beginning to doubt that the hall would ever end, as they had been walking for a good ten minutes without reprieve, passing row upon row of regimented wall-hugging lockers painted a subtle, reflective gold that quietly complimented the cream-white walls and startling black-and-white checkered floor.She figured that the passage was probably magic, as the front gates of the school had been, because the school hadn't looked _nearly _this long from the outside.Then again, she hadn't gotten a very good look at it while the Principal had escorted her inside.

She had hundreds of questions plaguing her thoughts, and the plague was spreading with every minute that they walked down the never-ending hall.Some of the rooms along the hall had doors opened wide to emit the sounds of busy classes, and some had closed doors that were oddly carved and ominously heavy.She refrained from making any inquiries to Sesshomaru about any of it, though, because she doubted he would cure her of her curiosity.In fact, she doubted that he would respond at all if she spoke to him.She could practically _feel_ the ice crackling in the air around him, indicating as clearly as a sign would that he intended to maintain his emotional and physical distance from her.

His demeanor might not have been so cold if he had not found out that he and Kagome were in the same class from the counselor that had written them a pass following their trip to the Principal's office._Then again,_ she thought, _he doesn't seem like a warm person in general.This is probably how he treats _all_ humans._

She wondered if his outlook on humanity was the result of something a human had once done to him, or whether it was a product of the way he had been raised.Apparently, he had been taught to look down upon all humans.It wasn't an uncommon occurrence among Youkai families.

It was a known fact that Youkai were superior to humans in many ways, but equality between the species had been fought for and won in devastating and bloody battles long ago.The fact that Youkai and humans shared a link had been proven by the human-Youkai matings that had produced fertile offspring.*

Some Youkai families preferred to ignore the fact that humans had equality, especially among the Lords.Kagome couldn't be completely sure that Sesshomaru's family was one of these, because Inu-Yasha had apparently come from the same blood, and he had saved her from a landing that would have been painful at the very least.

Of course, _he_ hadn't been very nice, either.He _had _been the one who had scared her into falling in the first place.She was certain that if Sesshomaru had not interrupted them when he had, she would have gotten an earful from the boy.

She glanced again at the Youkai's rigid form, wondering about him.

***

He could feel her staring at the back of his head.

He could practically see her in his mind, craning her head to the left and the right occasionally to look into noisy classrooms that they passed or look at one of the many odd doorways that were scattered at random along the length of the hall.He could practically _smell_ her energy, her curiosity, and her need to know what was going on._Just like a human_, he thought, _too stupid to know when to keep her nose out of the business of others_.

Her smell was driving him insane.She let off a plethora of complex scents, from the strong chemicals that she used to clean her hair to the sweat and oils that permeated her skin.Some were pleasant, and some were not, but having to keep a human near him was wearing at his nerves and making his olfactory sense go crazy.Her emotions were as clear as day to him, as bright as a beacon as they were conveyed through her body-chemicals.

He knew that she was angry with him.Not surprising._Humans_ were often angry with their superiors.He could sense that most of it was a remnant of the anger she harbored toward him from their earlier argument.He almost growled in annoyance.

A human.

_A human _dared to argue with him.

A _human_ had questioned his opinions.Had dared to make _him _question his own opinions, and she had gotten him in trouble in the process.He had no doubts that if she had not been present he would not have been caught.She was creating more problems for him that she, or anyone, had a right to.

He didn't like it.

He didn't look back at her as they arrived at their class, and she didn't say anything to break the silence between them as he led the way into it.Not even to comment on the fact that he was supposed to be giving her a tour of the school.

He was sure she was saving it for later.Someone like her wouldn't be able to handle not knowing what she wanted to, and he _had _been "asked" to show her around the school.He knew that if he didn't make a point of it, Principal Kaede would receive word of it, and she could make trouble for him.That _any_ human had that kind of power over him had him seething with anger that he wouldn't let touch his expression, and he wondered once again why any of the vermin were allowed equality.

An image of the girl flashed in his mind, reminding him that, at least in anger, they could be equal to Youkai.

He promptly dismissed both the image and the thoughts it prompted from his mind, focusing instead on turning in the pass and making his way to his desk, all the while ignoring his little brother—who's desk was only separated from Sesshomaru's by one row—as best he could.The teacher kept the girl at the front of the classroom for introductions, apparently happy to have another human student in a class that was dominantly Youkai.

"Class, this is Kagome Higurashi.She is a transfer student that is joining us from the Saitama prefecture in Tokyo."the teacher, a forward-thinking human male, said, gesturing to the girl.

The girl bowed.

"Thank you very much.I am happy to be part of this class,"She said, bowing to show her respect.Sesshomaru decided that she could be slightly bearable, when she was acting her station.Then she looked at him.Glared, really."I hope to be able to get along with everyone, and I hope you feel the same."

Her eyes spoke volumes, seeming to say, _woe betide he who stands against me._

***

Okies, that wraps it up for this chapter, mostly 'cause now I'm having a hard time concentrating.I'll be continuing this chapter in the next one, mainly because he didn't _actually_ give her a tour.-.-;;

*The thing about the half-breeds.In studies done at zoos, if different species, say like lions and tigers, successfully breed, their offspring won't be able to bear or sire offspring of their own. They are barren and impotent.By the way, the offspring of tigers and lions are known as Ligers and Tigons, depending on which parent is of which species. I thought that was 

pretty spiffy. ^.^

By the way, Marie was the one who gave me info on where Kagome was from, since I couldn't remember.She couldn't remember if it was Saitama for sure.She says prefectures are muddling.Of course, she's half Japanese, and has visited Japan a lot, so she knows what she's talking about (The hootchie!).She read a lot of Inu-Yasha in Japanese.Ah, well.

More to come soon!


	5. The Tour part 2

Wooooo

Wooooo.All the way to chapter 5.Of course, the only reason that I can come out with chapters so fast is because they are so short.Thanks this go round to Lazuli (sorry, but this is just gonna have to be a Fluffy/Kagome fic.I'll prolly do an Inu/Kagome fic eventually, tho.Sorry.^.^;;), Aynara (even I'm wondering how I'll eventually get Sess and Kagome together…I'll work on it.), Chibi-chan (glad you like my writing!^.^), Ryo*ohki (I'm workin' on it,), Minako 233 (Evil laughter.My kind of fan!), TJ (I don't intentionally plan out my chapters to end that way, but for some reason, that's how they go.), Umi-chan (I'll do my best to finish this for ya!), and Sapphirepanther (High praise indeed!Thankies).

I love getting feedback!It keeps up the momentum, gives me steam to run on.I wonder if that makes me egotistical?O.o ?

***

Inu-Yasha: The High School Experience, Chapter 5"The Tour" part 2

***

Inu-Yasha stared at the girl as she stood at the front of the class, trying to figure her out.She was like a puzzle-box, and one that he sorely wanted to solve.

She was throwing glares that fell upon Sesshomaru like a hail of arrows. And the haughty Youkai, who was staring pointedly into the middle distance—visibly refusing to admit to her existence within his universe—was disdainfully ignoring her.

Her defiance confused him.Humans usually fell under Sesshomaru's displeasure, begging for forgiveness as soon as they realized that his anger was directed at them, whether they had committed a transgression or not, and the Youkai certainly hadn't been pleased with her.Yet, she hadn't been cowed when she had been treated so badly, denied entrance to the school.She hadn't given up when the odds had been against her.

She had climbed a tree instead, heedless of the danger to her body.He felt a twinge—promptly ignored, of course—of niggling guilt about frightening her.He hadn't thought before he had yelled at her that morning, hadn't considered that he could startle her badly enough for her to lose her balance.He had been horrified, for a brief second as he watched her scrambling frantically for a grip on the tree-branch, before his natural instincts had taken over and he had gone after her falling form.

Then he had seen her face, and for a split second, he thought that _She_ had come back to him.

_Kikyo_.

Beautiful, kind Kikyo.

She who had loved him for the half-breed he was, not caring about the fact that he was an abomination.She who had tempered his bitterness and hatred toward humans, giving him insight into how very kind some of them could be, unlike most Youkai.

He missed her.

He missed her so very, very much.

The longing he had for her was an ache that radiated from his heart, lancing throughout the rest of his body in icy tendrils, sticking at the back of his throat like a stuttering cough, and settling at the base of his scull as low-key pain.

Now there was this girl, Kagome.Her existence alone made it difficult for him to focus on anything other than his bittersweet memories of Kikyo. Her looks and scent were almost identical to Kikyo's, and he could sense the same fiery spirit burning within her body, albeit much _much _closer to the surface than Kikyo's had been.It seemed brighter, even, than Kikyo's had been, more brash and forward and powerful.Unbending, and incorruptible.Not that that was a completely _good _thing.

She had been stupid to climb that tree.She could have probably gotten help.

Eventually.

From _someone_.

_Who am I kidding? _He thought, giving himself a mental kick, _If Sesshomaru showed any dislike toward her, she was probably being shunned.Principal Kaede was right about that.Damn Sesshomaru and his stupid fan club._

His attention snapped back toward the front of the class as the teacher told Kagome where to sit.His eyes followed her, widening as he realized where the teacher had put her.

She was put right smack in the desk between his and his despised half-brother's desks.

Obviously, she wasn't too happy about the seating arrangement, either.She was pouting just the slightest bit—something that Kikyo had _never _done—and her gray-blue eyes were filled with sparks of flinty anger.He could smell her displeasure as she sat down and fixed her determined gaze on the teacher, who was starting the class again. 

***

Kagome did her level best to ignore completely the Jerk on her left and the Jackass on her right, knowing that if she so much as looked at them, they would probably find _some_ way to piss her off._Well, _she amended mentally, _Inu-Yasha doesn't seem nearly as bad as his brother.He just seems grumpy, instead of chronically inclined to be mean, like Sesshomaru. _

She shrugged mentally, deciding to try not to stress over it.The teacher was speaking, his voice changing from the personable tone he had used to introduce her to an informative drawl as he started the lecture that he had dropped off when she and Sesshomaru had walked in.

"It has often been debated that the seeds of the equality movement for humans were sewn, not during the Yugo Wars fifty years ago as many think, but instead during Sengoku Jidai, the Feudal period during the time of the warring nations.

"Historical artifacts recovered from that time period show that humans were already beginning to diversify their positions in the hierarchy of the Youkai Lords.Whereas humans had previously only been used as menial slaves, they were now also being educated and used as scribes.Youkai were beginning to realize that humans had their own societies and religions, which directly contradicted the belief among most Youkai of the time, that Humans were nothing more than chattel and were without any real intelligence.There are indications though, that even back then there were some Human-Youkai matings.At the time, such matings, and the offspring that came of those unions, would have been thought of as abominations."

Kagome thought that she saw Inu-Yasha stiffen a bit, catching the movement out of the corner of her eye, but she refrained from turning her head to investigate, not wanting to draw attention to herself.Instead she turned her own attention back to the teacher as he continued to speak.

"There are legends of a powerful Miko who had in her possession a Jewel, known as the Shikon no Tama—Jewel of Four Souls—which was highly coveted by Youkai.It is rumored that she was the root of the Human Freedom Movement that gained in strength until it instigated the Yugo Wars that ended the Bunretsu period in Human history—"

A snore rose from the back of the classroom.

As a single unit, the class turned to stare at the form of a very young Youkai, asleep on top of one of the back desks, drooling.The teacher heaved an exasperated sigh, and made his way to the sleeping boy.He tapped him on the shoulder lightly to rouse him, earning him a couple of light thwaps and mumbled curses from the boy as he woke up.The teacher nudged him again.

"Alright, Shippo, time to wake up.I've got a class."

***

Gah!I didn't mean to go into a history lesson, but I figured that I may as well create one for my alternate world.Of course, the majority of it was made up, with a bit of help from Marie before she went to bed.I hope it wasn't too dry.

Translation notes

Youkai = Demon

Hanyou = Half-demon

Yugo = Fusion (If only I had the knowledge to put accent marks over the o's)

Miko = Priestess

Bunretsu = Schism


	6. The ACTUAL Tour

Chapter 6!!!  FINALLY!!!  Sorry I didn't write in so long!  College Happened.  Thanks a bundle to Princess Faux for helping me to refine my chapters, and keep my writing smooth.  Shun'u, I didn't even think about telling you I had a story when I read yours.  I was too wrapped up in your story! I would thank to everyone who reads my story individually, but I don't think I could, so I'll just say thank you all!  (by the way, I'll try to make my chapters longer now.)   

This chapter is for all of you who have been waiting patiently for me to write more.  Hopefully you will enjoy it.

* * *

Inu-Yasha: The High School Experience, Chapter 6  "The Tour" part 3

* * *

Shippo opened his eyes to see a huge face staring down at him threateningly, so he did what any self-respecting Kitsune would have done.

He bounced off the desk and ran.

He spotted a face that he didn't know in the class—a human vixen that seemed much kinder than the rest—and made a mad dash to her desk, diving under it to cower in abject terror while he wrapped himself around her legs.

After a moment the vixen's head appeared, peering curiously from above the edge of the desk, her dark hair falling to frame her pretty face and nice gray eyes.

"Are you alright?" she asked, extending a hand toward him.  He sniffled, staring at the hand as though it were a snake that could rear back and bite him at any time, as he was deciding whether or not to take it.

The girl_ seemed_ nice, but he knew that appearances could be deceiving…

But her voice had been so gentle, and she hadn't yelled at him…

"There's nothing to be afraid of.  Come on out." she said, encouraging him with her words and a bright smile.  Carefully, he sniffed at her hand, ready to bolt at the slightest hint of danger, but nothing happened.  After he had assured himself that she wouldn't attack him, he slowly stood and put his paw in her hand, marveling at how soft her skin was.  She drew him up and set him on top of her desk, settling her arms protectively around him.

She was still smiling, and he relaxed a bit, realizing that she wouldn't hurt him.

Not that he was scared of a _vixen_.

Of course he wasn't scared.

He looked around the room from his safe haven, realizing that he had slept too long, and was in  the middle of a class.  He searched for the horrible creature that had awakened him, but could only see the teacher at the back of the class… standing about where the monster would have been… _hmmm_…

"My name is Kagome Higurashi.  What's yours?" the vixen asked, her voice gentle and her tone coaxing.  She smelled nice, like vanilla and flowers…

"Shippo.  My name is Shippo.  I'm the school mascot!" he said, his little chest puffing up proudly.

Kagome threw a questioning look to the teacher, who nodded.

"Well, _that's_ impressive!  I feel honored to go to a school with such an…_impressive_ mascot." She said, looking dutifully awed.

Shippo heard a disdainful sniff coming from the next desk over, and he angrily glared at its inhabitant.

"What, _Fluffy_, don't you have any respect for your mascot?  Or are you just jealous because you're too girly to be respected?" The Kitsune jeered at Sesshomaru.

"I do not have to be weak, small and fuzzy to get females to fawn over me, you little—" Sesshomaru started, his voice cool, only to be cut off by the cub.

"Oooh, that's right.  You have an entire fan club devoted to you.  The 'Fluffy fan club,' I believe?" 

Sesshomaru snarled, surging forward in his desk until he was nose to nose with the cub.

"Do not _mock me_, little fox, unless you are ready for a very long, painful—"

"Fluffy?" Kagome started to laugh.  "_Fluffy?_  They call you Fluffy?"  She was laughing harder now.  "Oh no!  Not the big, bad _Fluffy_!"  Tears were leaking from the corners of her eyes, and by now a few other students in the class were stifling giggles, as well. 

Shippo decided that he liked this human vixen.

The teacher coughed, gaining the attention of the entire class.  Slowly the laughter and giggles died down.  Sesshomaru stared at Kagome and the Kitsune, his gaze promising vengeance. 

"_If_ you don't mind, I would like to continue the class." 

The teacher cast a meaningful glance at the Kitsune cub, who replied by sticking out his tongue at the teacher and taking off in a furry flash out the door.   The teacher sighed, and began on his lecture for the third time.

Thankfully for him, the rest of the class passed uneventfully.

* * *

"Come with me." Sesshomaru snarled, his golden eyes chilly enough to freeze flame as he waited without patience at the side of her desk.

Kagome stared up at him, trying to keep her expression as impassive as his.  It wasn't working.  She could feel her left eyebrow twitching.

"Why should I, _Fluffy?_" She inquired, not-so-politely.

"Do not call me that." He growled, his eyes flashing dangerously.

"What do you mean, _Fluffy?_"

"I said do not call me that." His growl deepened, and his eyes were beginning to burn with anger and annoyance.

"What, you don't like being called Fluffy?  Why ever not, _FLUFFY?_" She taunted, feeling that she was finally getting a bit of revenge on the haughty Youkai.

It wasn't until after she found herself pulled up and pinned to the desk behind her that she realized—belatedly—that the classroom had emptied, and she and Sesshomaru were alone.

His growling had grown so deep and feral that she could feel the vibration of it in the pit of her stomach, and his eyes were blazing down at her, now molten gold shining from his pale face.

"_I said do not CALL me that!_" His face was so close that their noses nearly touched.  Kagome's eyes were open wide, fear glimmering in them for the first time.  They opened impossibly wider when Sesshomaru did something completely unexpected.

He sniffed her.

His eyes slid nearly shut as he moved his face around hers, inhaling delicately.  She could feel his breath blowing gently against her face as he exhaled, and inhaled again.

A shudder of…something…passed through her as he lifted one of his hands from pinning her to bury it in her hair.  She gasped when he slid his face against hers, burying it in her hair as well.  

She stayed as still as she could, scared that any movement might break the strange spell that seemed to have overtaken the Youkai.  He could attack or do something…_else_.  She didn't know what, but she had the feeling that she probably wouldn't like it.

Then again… 

His skin was smooth and warm against her own, his silver-white hair feathery and soft where it touched her skin making her shiver.  His grip on her had loosened a bit, but still hadn't let her go, and he wasn't showing any sign that he planned to any time soon.  She could feel the rise and fall of his chest against her own as he continued to sniff at her.  She wondered what he was smelling, knowing that Youkai had keen senses.  She certainly knew what _she_ was smelling.

Sandalwood.  Definitely Sandalwood, and…what?  Something like a waterfall.  An image of her hurtling through fast water toward the edge of a huge waterfall flashed through of her mind, making her dizzy for a moment. 

_If he smells this good to me, I must smell disgusting to him._

The errant thought jolted her out of the daze she had been pulled into, and she struggled in his grasp, no longer caring that he might attack her.  She needed to breath without smelling him.

He slowly let her go, and the world came back to her.  

Her back was sore where it had bent over the back of her seat, and her legs were sore and trembling from the strain of holding her lower body up while her upper body had been held in such an awkward position.  She slid back into her seat, still slightly dazed as she stared, wide-eyed, at Sesshomaru.

His expression was unreadable, his eyes still at half-mast as he looked down at her.    Tension crackled in the air for a for eternal moments while he said nothing, moved no muscle.

"Come.  I have to give you your stupid tour." He said, breaking the tense silence, a hammer to a pane of sound-proof glass.  He turned away, walking to the door of the classroom to wait for her to gather her books and bag.

As she followed him out into the hallway, all she could think was, _What the HELL was that?_

* * *

If you've gotten this far, you probably don't need a glossary.  I'll try to do the next chapter within the next week.  Ja ne! and thanks for reading and reviewing!


	7. The REAL ACTUAL tour

Looking back on my past chapters, I realize that I blab too much, and that I haven't been putting in Disclaimers. o.0

None of them belong to me!  I have no money!  Go away!

By the way, thankies to everyone who wrote reviews on ch.6.  It's keeping me working!

* * *

Inu-Yasha; The High School Experience, chapter 7 "The REAL ACTUAL tour"

* * *

The "tour" would have been slightly more informative for Kagome if her "tour guide" had been _willing_.  He walked fast, so that she nearly had to run to keep up with him, and pointed out the areas of interest in the school with sparse words.

"Gym," referred to a huge set of double doors, dark wood carved with graceful images of early Olympians in competition.  "Cafeteria," was another set of double doors, this time made of a light wood carved with an image of a tree bearing every kind of food imaginable, spreading across both doors from the middle.  Platters bearing intriguing looking dishes were tucked into the branches, and Kagome found herself wishing she could take a couple of hours to stare at the carved doors, trying to find hidden treats.  Sesshomaru had other ideas, though, and continued to walk at an unrelentingly fast pace.

She couldn't look at the door to the nurse's office for more than a second, her stomach going queasy at the images of broken bodies and bloody wounds that were carved on the door.  She got the distinct impression that the carvings were supposed to do that, perhaps to dissuade students from taking actions that would result in a trip to the office.

The bathroom doors were conspicuously bare of carvings.

Kagome raised one eyebrow, about to comment, but one look at the rigid back of the Youkai in front of her made her think twice.  She didn't think that he would find anything she said to be humorous, due to the fact that he just didn't like her.  She doubted that Sesshomaru even _had_ a sense of humor.

Instead she busied herself by observing the groups of students that were scattered within the halls, making enough noise for three times as many people.  She wondered if she would ever fit in with one of those groups, have friends to laugh and share with.  The thought brought back memories of her friends from her old school, and she felt a twinge of loneliness, wishing for their warmth and cheer to surround her as it once had.

_Oh, Sango, Houjo, what will I do without you two?  _

The fact that she couldn't tell them where she was and what she was doing, couldn't even _talk_ to them made it worse.  They couldn't know where she was, though, because it would put them in danger.  If _he_ ever found out where she was…

I'm not going to think about that now.  I will not think about what happened…not the pain, not the fear…

She was snapped out of her reverie by the shock of running into something solid and warm, and she looked up to see a pair of warm, dark eyes smiling down at her.  It took her a moment to realize that there was a hand on her behind.

She froze for a second, not knowing what to do, before scrambling away from the owner of the eyes and hand, a boy with black hair in a small ponytail.  She might have thought that he was cute if he hadn't tried to grope her.  He stood where he was, smiling at her, as she backed away a bit.

"Well, I haven't seen you around here.  You must be new.  Taking a tour?" He inquired, glancing toward Sesshomaru, who had finally stopped walking and had turned around to watch.  There was a strange mix of emotion that was visible in his normally expressionless eyes, and Kagome could have sworn that one of them was amusement.  Some of the other emotions she wasn't so sure of…  

"H-hai." She stuttered, unsure what to think of this boy.  He was acting as though he hadn't just groped her.  He gave her his full attention again, ignoring Sesshomaru as he focused on her.

"Why don't you come with me?  I'll give you a tour you will never forget," he said, reaching toward her.  His hand was halted a hairsbreadth away from her by a slender, white hand on his wrist, surprisingly strong for all of its grace.

"That will be enough, Miroku.  I must finish her tour before class starts again." Sesshomaru's voice was cold, as usual, but there was something that sparked in it, almost a warning.  Miroku rested his thoughtful gaze on Sesshomaru before pulling his hand back.  He turned to Kagome again.

"Well, it looks as though my tour will have to wait.  My name is Miroku, by the way."  He looked at her expectantly, obviously waiting for her to tell him her name.

"I'm Kagome.  Higurashi Kagome.  If you ever put your hand on me like that again, expect to lose it." She spat out, not feeling very accommodating toward the boy who had just taken advantage of her collision.  She doubted that the collision had been a mistake, noticing the lusty look in the boy's eyes.  He smiled at her, evidently trying to charm her.

"I'm Miroku.  If you need anything," he said, actually sounding sincere, "anything at all—" he made to take her hands again.

"She will ask _me.  I_ am her guide, boy, not you."  Sesshomaru snarled, pulling Kagome away from the boy and dragging her down the corridor by her hand.  Kagome hurried forward, trying to discern from his expression why he had pulled her away, but his face was once more void of expression.

"Those doors lead to the outdoor physical education areas." He said, bestowing upon her the most informative statement since they had started out from the class.  

She spared a look at the doors—she was walking too fast to make out the details—before focusing on Sesshomaru's features again.  She was walking beside him, for the first time.  He spared he an unreadable glance, meeting her eyes, and she looked away, blushing a bit.

"Is there something that you need?" he asked, raising one eyebrow.  Kagome continued looking away, aware of his steady gaze.  She didn't want him to see that she was surprised by his question.  He was being almost…nice.

"No." she said.  She felt his gaze shift away, back toward the hall in front of them.  The groups of people were beginning to thin out as students wandered off to class.

"Good," he said, "We need to get to class."  His voice was flat.  Kagome looked at him again, surprised.

"We have the same class?" She realized belatedly that she had not gotten her schedule yet.

"Did you not listen the secretary who gave us our passes?  She said we had the same class_es_, not class." His tone rose with exasperation.  Kagome, insulted, started to defend herself.

"I was a little distracted at the time, _Fluffy_," she ignored his warning growl, certain that he wouldn't try anything in the busy corridor, "as you might recall, I had just been pulled in to the Principal's Office on my first day, no thanks to you.  I wasn't exactly in the most observant of moods at the time."  In fact, she wasn't sure whether she would even be able to find her way back to the office to get her schedule later.  She wasn't planning on following Sesshomaru to class every day, so she needed to know where her classes were.  She harbored a brief hope that they might even have a map of the school, but she got the sinking feeling that this place wasn't the kind that had maps.  She sighed as she walked the rest of the way to class with the Youkai.

* * *

Until lunch the day passed by relatively without event.  As soon as Kagome got out of her Math class, Sesshomaru was by her side again, stalking silently.  When she looked at him questioningly, he merely shrugged.

"The tour isn't over."

He led her back toward the Cafeteria, and was opening the door when the sound of stampeding feet distracted him.  Kagome looked back down the hall to see a huge herd of girls racing toward them.  

Their voices rose in a unified, adoring cry.

"SESSHOMARU-SAMA!"

Suddenly, almost magically, Inu-Yasha was beside her, leaning on the edge of the door that Sesshomaru still held open.

"Well well well, if it isn't the Fluffy Fan Club."

Kagome could have sworn that she heard Sesshomaru cuss.

* * *

Well, there you go.  More to come soon!  I'm going to try to finish it before I go back to school.


	8. The Herd

Ooookies, here's another chapter for the people who follow the progress of this story closely.  I have decided, after reading a kickass fanfic in the LJ Smith (ie, Nightworld series, ect.) archive, and she had little blurbs for every person who reviewed.  I like that, so get used to looooong blabs before the story starts.

Wood-Nymph3 (I don't remember if you have another name for FF.net): w00t! Thanks for e-mailing me!  Believe me, you're not that strange!

Ja-olson (again, I don't remember if you have another name for FF.net):  Thank you for the feedback!  It helps a lot! 

Wiccachic2000:  Yay!  I am loved!  I will work harder, I really will!

TJ: I am still alive and kicking, and I'm gonna see if I can't find a way to update from school, even if it means I have to bribe someone with cookies…Eventually I want to get my writing to be beautiful and shining, but for now, charming is juuuust fine.  Thank you!

Kimmy: Yay!  I'm glad!

Rymsie: I'm glad people are entertained by it!  Yes, yes indeed, there just might be some romantic tension…oh, wondrous evil love triangles and/or shapes!

Amy Lin: I will!  About the fan club, if you look at a lot of manga out there, many boys in Japanese schools seem to have fan clubs.  Based on the fanaticism that fans feel for our dearest Inu-boys, I believe that the fan club is the embodiment of what fan girls feel toward our dearest fluffs!

Umm…:w00t!  I hear ya!  Refer to above statement, multiply it tenfold, and apply it to yourself!

Sammy-chan:  I've been trying hard to keep everyone in character.  It's tough when I want Sesshomaru to just fall head over tail in love…grar…

Voldersnort:  Thank you!  I will, I will!

Yoshi: Thankies!  You can be an honorary member of the Fluffy fan club. Acrobatics not required, so you can put those pompoms down!

Allysun Metallium: Thanks!  I figured it was about time to introduce more familiar characters.  I don't quite know where I'm going with this story, but any good story needs some kind of tension—other than romantic, unless it is VERY well written, and I don't write well enough to pull it off…not yet, anyway.  I'm trying to make the chapters longer, but I have a short attention span.  ^_^;;

Moirasfate: I know what you mean.  Anything with Sessomaru pulls me in.  I hope my story keeps…erm…giving you kicks(?)!  I'm trying to write it in a more mature manner, though.  I highly respect your writing, too.  I'm enjoying Flowers of Flesh immensely.

Purple Mist:  I will!

Obeylikemonkey: I'm gonna try to update from school as well…so this doesn't end up rushed.

Akiness:  I will!  Soon!  Don't die!!!

(Just a note: The italics don't always work, so if you come across something that looks like it would be italicized, pretend it is!)

^__^

For all of my fellow fan girls…

* * *

Inu-Yasha; The High School Experience, chapter 8 "The Herd"

* * *

The thundering herd of girls came to a screeching halt directly in front of Sesshomaru, Kagome and Inu-Yasha, some of them screaming out the Youkai's name.  The lot of them reminded Kagome of cattle suffering from a particularly vicious case of mad cow disease, so fervent were their faces and voices.  Kagome wouldn't have been surprised to see skid marks on the floor behind them from the soles of their shoes.

One of the girls stepped forward, her eyes wide open and shining with an unholy light.

"Sesshomaru-sama, would you sign this for me?"  Adoration seemed to ooze from her every pore as she held forth a large, glossy head shot photograph of a very sultry looking Sesshomaru.  There were already several lipstick marks on the surface of it.  Kagome wondered with a shudder about what _exactly_ the fan girls did for fun when they were at home alone.

Sesshomaru merely sniffed, staring stonily at the beaming girl, and started to turn away, intent on escaping into the Cafeteria.

"Sesshomaru-sama, I love you!" another girl farther back in the crowd bleated.

"Sesshomaru-sama, go out with me!"

"Sesshomaru-sama, marry me!"

"Sesshomaru-sama—"

"Sesshomaru—" The cries and confessions poured one over another as sixty or seventy girls vied for a glance or a remark—even an insult—from their obsession.

"Oh, highest most beautiful and divine one!  Sesshomaru-sama, I will gladly serve you until I die!"  This cry was voiced in a distinctly non-fan girly croak from the general vicinity of the floor.  Kagome looked down to find an ugly little toad of a Youkai standing at about knee-height.  His eyes bugged out so far that Kagome was surprised that they didn't fall out of his head, and his skin was a disturbingly warty shade of putrid green.  Currently, those eyes were wide and adoring as they focused on Sesshomaru, and the warty skin was flushed to a shade of near puce.  In all, it was a truly disgusting sight, causing Kagome's stomach to turn uncomfortably.

Sesshomaru looked down after hearing the Youkai as well, and a slight look of annoyance crossed his face.

"Jaken, did I not tell you to stay at home?"  Sesshomaru's voice was smooth enough to shame silk, his gaze calm and cold.  "Do you not have something you need to be taking care of?" 

The toad-looking Youkai shivered and seemed to shrink, managing to hunch down to half of his size, petrified.  Kagome wondered how someone's emotions could go from one extreme to another, from adoration to utter fear, in such a short amount of time.

"Y-yes Sesshomaru-sama!  I just thought to—" the pitiful Youkai stammered, halting as Sesshomaru's gaze serenely bored into him.

"You _thought_?  Had you really been thinking, you would be at home minding your duties." Nary a ripple touched the seemingly tranquil surface of Sesshomaru's expression.  Kagome was reminded of the moment of absolute silence before a raging storm.

The hall echoed with the sound of Sesshomaru's foot cracking against the side of Jaken's head, and the Youkai's scream—Kagome thought that he _did_ sound like a fan girl, after all—as he arced through the air, down to the end of the hall where he hit the wall with a thud.  Kagome pitied the Youkai for a moment before looking at Sesshomaru again.  He merely lifted one elegantly arched eyebrow as he pivoted on one heel, stalking into the Cafeteria.  

The sound of a gale whooshed through the hall as the Fluffy Fan Club released its collective breath in disappointment and dispersed in every direction. Inu-Yasha snorted.

"Stupid idiots.  They beg to be stepped on and scoffed at, and come back for more abuse.  I don't understand you females."

"Hey, I'm not one of _them_," Kagome snorted, "as far as I can tell, they share the same brain.  I can't imagine so many girls creating a fan club around your brother without some kind of surgery."  

Inu-Yasha stared at her for an incredulous moment before he laughed, throwing his head back.  Kagome could see his fangs, almost unnaturally white, against his lips.

"You are a strange human, girl," he said, still grinning.  He stepped forward, looking down at her curiously, and Kagome stepped back. "You never told me why you rubbed my ears this morning.  Didn't your mother teach you that it's _rude_ to fondle people you don't know?"

"Ahhh…" Kagome blushed a bit—quite a bit, considering his wording—staring intently at her shoes.  "Well, it's just that…they're so _unusual_…and they're cute…" 

"Unusual?"  Inu-Yasha stopped laughing.  "_Cute?_" A scowl clouded his face.  "I have these ears because I'm a half-breed.  Because my mother is a human.  _Vermin_."  He grabbed one of his ears, tugging on it viciously, beginning to growl.  Kagome backed away again, surprised.  She found her back to one of the ornate cafeteria doors, the carvings digging into her back.  She was almost certain that there was a roasted chicken under one of her shoulder blades.  

She couldn't understand why he was suddenly so angry, so aggressive.  He had seemed friendly for a moment, almost teasing.  His parentage seemed to be a touchy subject with him, to say the least, and apparently she had managed to touch on it.  Anger sparked in Kagome's mind.  If he hadn't wanted to hear about his ears, why had he asked?  

"Listen, I'm sorry if I offended you," Kagome started, her voice quiet.  "I was just answering your question honestly.  If you can't deal with an honest answer, then don't ask the question.  Not that honesty matters that much when it comes from _vermin_."  She ended with a hiss, pushing him away and escaping into the cafeteria.

* * *

Sesshomaru contemplated the girl sitting beside him at the silver-topped cafeteria table, careful not to let her see his scrutiny.  She was eating the bland cafeteria food without enthusiasm, more interested in the room and people around her, apparently trying to absorb everything at once.  No amount of contemplation bared her thoughts to him, though.

He could not figure her out.  She was an intelligent human, which in itself was an oxymoron.  She was brave, as demonstrated by her stand against him, and kind—a weakness, true, but interesting nonetheless—in her treatment of the annoying Kitsune.  She was honest, as he had heard her entire conversation with his despised half-brother—not eavesdropping, he assured himself, just his superior sense of hearing.  He had only strained a little to clearly make out their words through the thick wooden doors.  She had a sense of humor, and a mean temper.  She had a beautiful smile, and an intoxicating scent…

Sesshomaru froze mentally and physically, caught by his own thought.

_No, no.  I did not just think that.  She is vermin, incapable of beauty, as vermin are incapable of everything else_. 

He could not rationalize away her scent, though.  He had indulged in it, actually touching her, burying his nose in her soft, dark hair.  Perhaps she had put a spell on him, to make him think such thoughts?  It would explain why he had felt that tightening of anger in his chest when the letch Miroku had tried to touch her.  And why he had been showing so many of his emotions.  He had felt more emotions in this one day than he did in an entire year.  Looking at her, though, he could not imagine such a thing.  Vermin could not cast spells strong enough to affect Youkai, not since the Yugo Wars.  The last great human powers had disappeared with the Shikon Jewel, sealing the pact that bound Youkai and humans into truce.

_There are ways to circumvent the truce_, his mind whispered to him.  _You know that.  You have managed it a time or two.  The pact only binds against war; as long as your actions would not initiate one, you can do near anything_.

She had finished eating, and had glanced up to catch him looking at her.  Deliberately, he bared his fangs in a snarl, making her slide back on her seat, clearly nervous though she tried to hide it.  She looked too delicate and fragile to be any threat to him.  He used his gaze to intimidate her, his eyes narrowed as they ran length of her body.  She reminded him of a filly with long, coltish legs, moving with grace and energy.  

Suddenly, he decided that they had eaten lunch long enough.

"Come with me.  Classes will be starting again soon, and I have a few more places to show you."  He stood up, leaving his tray on the table.  The girl followed him with her eyes before she stood, picking up her own tray and depositing it on top of one of the trash bins on the way out of the cafeteria.  She followed him, not asking him any questions as they made their way swiftly through the halls.

Sesshomaru stopped as he came to a large set of double doors made entirely of beveled glass, through which a huge greenhouse could be seen.  He heard the girl draw in a breath, and felt vaguely satisfied by her reaction.  He opened one of the doors and walked in, not bothering to see if she had followed him.  He knew that she would not be able to resist the temptation of the Gardens; few could.  

He smirked as he heard her slowly release her breath, stepping into the heavy, hot air of the Garden.  She drew another breath, and said the only word that could convey the depth of appreciation that this place inspired.

"Wow."  


	9. The Garden

W00t!  Okies, I'm REALLY going to try for longer chapters.  Scrolling through my last one, I realized that the comments section was almost as long as the chapter itself!  Grar.

Cynical Angel: Thanks!  I used to only go for Inu/Kago fics, but then I stumbled upon some incredibly well written Sessho/Kago fanfics that sparked my interest in the beautiful baddie.  I'm working.  W00t!

Wiccachic2000: Yes, you have!  I love you too!!!  Fans like you are so hard to find. *wipes a tear from eye*

Obeylikemonkey: Did I mention that I like your name?  W00t! I have to admit, that is the image I had in my head, too, but I couldn't think of a workable reason for him to be cross-dressing.  I didn't feel like delving into the little toad's underlying homosexual tendencies.  At least, not in THIS chapter.  Mwahahahahhaaaaaa! ^________^  I'll just keep plugging away at it until it finishes itself up, ne?

Sammy-chan: Aren't they disturbing?  Rabid fan girls on the rampage.  I'm working, I'm working.  All of these twists are happening as I write them…maybe I should plan my story a little better; god only knows where this is going.

Drkdemon: Yeeeeesss.  Obsessions.  *Laughs maniacally.* Thank you!  I am, I am!

Allyson Metallium: Yes.  Curiosity?  A little bit of…dare I say it? Jealousy?  These are the makings of a good, rocky relationship that will have many problems that I will have fun solving.  ) The only downside to me updating from school is that I won't be able to update as often.  Grar.

Holly-chan:  I will, I will!  Awww, I'm being threatened.  That makes me fee so special. ;_;

Stormlight: Wish granted!  Look, more!  I'm still waiting for your book to ship.  It's gonna be March before I get it.  ;_;  I want it now!  I want it now!  Ah, well, I'll get it just in time for my spring break, so I'll enjoy it then.

Umm:  There, there.  I'm sure you'll get a cool Bishy sooner or later.  Why don't you try Aoi from Imadoki?  He's cute AND crazy!  And a genius computer nerd/trouble maker who likes knives a liiiiittle too much.  Go for it!  I'm still debating just how crazy to make the Fan Club, and how evil. )  Oooooh, toe socks!  Gotta love them toe socks.  The only bad thing about them is when you accidentally (or not accidentally, but hey, your fetishes are up to you!) get two toes stuck in one…erm…sleeve?  Toe?  You know what I mean.  I miss my toe socks…;_;  I've come close to buying the Inu Art book myself, but am too poor.  Cry me a waterbed, while you're at it, 'k?  Happy Holidays yourself!

Patern: More threats!  W00t!  I'm working, I'm working!

Anyway, on with the fan fic!

The song lyrics are taken from Enigma's powerful song, Gravity of Love.

* * *

Inu-Yasha: The High School Experience Chapter 9 "The Garden"

* * *

_~Turn around, and smell what you don't see~_

_~Close your eyes, and it's so clear~_

"This is the Garden."

The Garden.  It seemed such a mundane name for something so very grand, inspiring, breathtaking, taking it in all of its glory and simplifying it into one unimaginative word.  

From a quiet hall in her new school, Kagome had stepped into a lush, warm paradise that stole the thoughts from her mind as it did the very breath from her body.  Air was only barely beginning to slowly circulate in her lungs after the shock of being hit so hard by the sheer, unutterable beauty of this magical place that was the stuff that dreams were made of.

A huge, white-glazed dome soared hundreds of feet over her head, supported by delicate arches of wrought iron, casting a soft, nearly palpable haze of bright light over the entire place.  Wide balconies rose in step-like tears, emerging from the curved walls in great, crescent sweeps from the far side of the enclosure. A large, frail-looking web of a door in the far wall of the dome opened to the Outer Garden, which was so far away that all Kagome could see of it was a green blur.  Inside, lush greenery grew from every nook and cranny, spilling over the edges of the balconies in great cascades of vibrantly colored sweet-smelling blossoms.  Climbing roses clung to the walls, reaching hundreds of bloom-laden fingers ever upward to cradle the Garden in their radiant embrace.  Yellow brick lined a beautiful mosaic path of celestial design that wove through the garden, dipping and rising, curving and sweeping through open areas and secret, heavily grown grottos. It tempted Kagome to explore, to find, to discover new places and rediscover forgotten ones, begging for her to seek out the secret spots.  There was something about this place that made it so much more than just a garden, a greenhouse for a school.  It was special in the extreme, bursting with mystery and old knowledge, and Kagome could not fathom why she knew this.  It was a fact as solid as the ground under her feet and the gravity pressing her down, though she felt as though she could sprout wings and fly in this place if she but had the time.

She took a shaky, tentative breath, letting it out slowly as she got a hold on her reactions again.  It took her a few moments before she could tear her eyes away from the wondrous place around her to look at Sesshomaru again.  When she did, she felt as though the world was in her eyes, full of awe and new beauty and gratitude.

The Youkai's look was guarded as he returned her gaze, no emotion stirring the languid expression on his elegant ivory face.  Kagome was beyond caring, too caught up in the gratitude she felt to be annoyed by his typical mannerisms.   She smiled at him, hoping that it conveyed her thanks, because she didn't think she was capable of finding words eloquent enough to express what she was feeling.

He paused for a moment, and then almost seemed to nod, just barely inclining his head in her direction.  It was barely a breath of a motion, but Kagome caught it due to her heightened awareness of the world around her.  She hoped that the nod meant that he understood just how much she had meant her smile to say.

"Come." He said simply, his voice quiet.  Perhaps he, too, felt that this place was special and warranted respect.  Kagome nodded, and followed after him as he stepped onto the main path in front of them, striking out toward the center of the domed room.  

Her attention caught on every detail; every red-veined leaf, every brilliant flower with molten gold at its center, every twist of stem and weave of vine, every sweet perfume that the flowering blooms emitted.  She noticed how carefully made and detailed the mosaic of the path was, created from velvet purple and deep blue broken tiles to color the nighttime sky, with intricately spiked silver stars scattered over it by a generous hand.

"This is the Night side.  The Day side is near the doors to the Outer Garden," Sesshomaru broke through her reverie, indicating the far side of the Garden with a graceful gesture of his hand.  She was about to ask what he meant when the greenery around her suddenly opened into a huge empty circle that was completely covered by a sprawling fountain of awe-inspiring proportions.  Out of the center of is rose a wonderful hybrid magic and art.  

A huge stylized golden sun spun, floating above the water, while arcing streams of water jetted in sharply defined arches from the tips of its waved rays.  An equally large silver moon slowly revolved around it, seeming to waltz through the air as water fell from it in a solid, ever-changing sheet.  Sunlight reflected sharply off of the water, creating the illusion of constantly falling stars around the celestial bodies.  The moon seemed to be dripping stardust.

The bottom of the fountain was a huge mosaic of a moon-embraced sun in brilliant tile.

Again, Kagome had trouble breathing.

Sesshomaru seemed to take pity on her, leading her to the edge of the fountain where he sat, indicating that she should do the same.  She complied, settling down beside him as she carefully set her bag down on the pathway that circled the fountain.  He didn't say much, instead inclining his head to her.

"Rest."

She took his advice to heart, and leaned back on the wide ledge.  She looked up at the very apex of the dome and was startled to see a huge stained glass window, again depicting a Celestial scene.  She was sure she should have noticed it coming in, and looked at Sesshomaru in confusion.  

She lost her breath yet again.

His head was lifted to the warm sunlight, his silver hair cascading down his back.  At some point he had untied it, letting it swung loose and free.  His golden eyes had warmed as he stared off into space, losing the chill that they usually held.  He almost seemed to glow in the soft light, ivory and gold and silver formed into a statue of unimaginable grace.

He looked down suddenly, meeting her eyes with his own, and she nearly squeaked.  To distract him, she pointed up at the window above her.  He followed her gesture, and sighed. 

"It is enchanted.  This place is the most enchanted in the entire city, possibly the entire world.  There are thousands of spells that have been cast within the Garden," his tone became formal, that of a teacher.  "You can not see the stained glass window unless you are at the very center of the Garden, and it rarely shows the same scene twice.  If you are not careful, the paths can turn you around and get you lost," he paused and looked at her… almost… appraisingly.  "Be careful.  Most who get lost are humans and very stupid Youkai.  As for the rest, I've not the time to explain.  Suffice it to say that there are so many spells that no one can remember them all, so it is best to be cautious."  He stood up and stretched, his lean muscled rippling once.  Kagome felt a twinge in her stomach.  He looked back at her, obviously waiting for her to get up.  

She quickly complied, grabbing her bag and following him around the fountain toward the door to the Outer Garden.  The mosaic of the path changed, moving from night-tones to those of twilight, making the stars harder to see, then on to the colors of the day, depicting a cloudy sky of brilliant blue.  It was a work of art, swamping Kagome in it and everything around her.

The door to the Outer Garden was another work of art, a sculpted masterpiece that looked like flowering vines caught and frozen in wrought iron.  Hundreds of jewels were imbedded in each flower, and along the vines.  There were ruby roses, amethyst daffodils, amber daisies, and hundreds more that begged to be admired.  

These jeweled gates opened out into another beautiful garden.  The sky was still shadowed by storm clouds, and Kagome could see raindrops glistening on the petals of the flowers close to her.  Remembering how bright it had been in the Garden, she threw a questioning look at Sesshomaru.

"How was it so bright in the Garden when it is dark out here?" Kagome felt her eyebrows furrowing in puzzlement.  He merely looked at her, distain in his eyes.

"Think about it." He said, walking forward, down the main path of the Outer Garden, forcing Kagome to keep up with him.

Kagome thought about it.  Then she smacked her head in exasperation.  Of _course_.  It must have been one of the enchantments on the Garden.  Feeling stupid, she followed him, not head bowed in embarrassment.

* * *

Sesshomaru heard her hit her head against her hand and smiled inside.  The girl had obviously figured out what he had meant.  

He focused on the path ahead of him again, noticing that a he was approaching a large, round building with a domed roof.  

_Good_, he thought, _we are almost there_.

The girl finally looked up, noticing the building for the first time.

"What is that?" she asked, so curious that he could practically feel the power of it radiating against his back.  He didn't say anything, keeping his face straight as he enjoyed her frustration at his lack of cooperation.  Tormenting her brought him more joy than he could have imagined possible.  Adversely, he seemed to enjoy her happiness and gratitude as well.  Her reaction to the Garden had made him feel something—almost a kind of warmth—inside, making him want to smile and share her joy.  

This startled him.  He had never wanted to share anything, emotional or otherwise, with another person.  Especially not a _human_.  Perhaps she _had_ cast a spell on him…perhaps she somehow had managed to harness the old powers that allowed the humans to fight the Youkai so long ago…

He had almost managed to convince himself of this when he remembered what her face had looked like when he had caught her looking at him at the fountain.  The look of wonder in her eyes…

It had made him want to do _something_ to her, something that didn't involve pain.  Something that would shock her, wipe the angry expression she usually wore on her face when she looked at him away and replace it with something completely different.

He doubted that she would deliberately cast a spell on him that would make him want to do anything to her.  The very idea was almost as ridiculous as the idea that he…no, he wouldn't even allow himself the thought.  Never the less, an idea was tickling the back of his scull, daring him to think it.

He distracted himself by opening one of the doors of the building that they had finally come to, holding it open for her to step through, watching her carefully as she got her first look at what lay within.

He wasn't disappointed by her reaction.  He was slightly surprised that she was still conscious, considering the air that her reactions routinely knocked out of her.  He glanced around the room, and surprised himself by realizing that the room could still impress him.  He had to admit that the enchantment was nearly perfect, creating a space in the fabric of the world that held the infinity of a galaxy within a room.  He felt tiny bursts of warmth as he walked forward, through hundreds of stars as he came to a stop in the center of the room.  The girl followed him slowly, starting as she felt the first of the stars pass through her skin.  The look of wonder on her face was a priceless thing to him, for reasons he didn't feel like dealing with at the moment.

She might have been a mere human, a weak, frail creature, but as she walked through the galaxy, she became a goddess of the stars.  For once, he was the one who caught his breath, staggered by the vision of her glowing in the light of the stars that surrounded and flowed through her, almost seeming to hug her body.  A few of them seemed to catch in her hair, glimmering in the soft strands like diamonds or dewdrops.  Others started to swirl around her body, clinging to her as they formed gently flowing rings around her throat, wrists and ankles.

Sesshomaru frowned.  The room didn't work this way.  It was enchanted to show the stars as they were at all times, not to change when people walked through the room.  He had never seen such a thing happen before.

Now the girl was cloaked from the neck to toe with stars that slid like chains of fireflies around her body, seeming to solidify into a shimmering dress that hugged her upper body tightly and fell in soft folds to her feet.  She giggled happily, a carelessly girlish sound that he had not yet heard from her, catching one of the stars in her hands and cradling it there.  Her eyes reflected the light of thousands of glowing stars as she looked up at him.

"What is this place?" She whispered, her voice rife with wonder.  She stood still, stars flowing over and around her, waves in an ocean, as she waited for his reply.  He frowned again, still unsure of what was happening.  Best not to tell her that this had never happened before.

"This," he said, his voice calm and quiet, "is the Observatory.  Better known as the Star room, for obvious reasons.  It is only like this during the day.  At night, the roof opens," he gestured upward, toward the dome that rose above their heads, invisible in the darkness.  "A popular spot, usually.  I am surprised that there are not any other people in here now.  No matter," he said, watching her carefully as he started walking toward the door, "it is time for us to be going.  Classes will start soon, so I won't be able to show you the Ballroom."  He watched as she pulled herself out of her awed daze and followed him to the door, stars falling away little by little as she approached the door.  When she was standing next to him in the doorway, she looked back, an almost forlorn look on her face.  Sesshomaru felt a tug in his chest, which he promptly ignored.  She was extremely quiet on the walk back through the garden and out into the hall, uncharacteristically so.

Sesshomaru decided that he needed to find as much information on the Star room as he could.  He wanted to know exactly what had happened, why it had reacted that way to the girl when it had never before done anything like that to his knowledge.  When they stepped out into the hallway the girl looked at her wristwatch and squeaked.

"Oh my god, we're LATE!"

* * *

There you go!  If you can't tell, I'm using this story to get my writing skills back up to the way they used to be.  It's been a while since I wrote seriously, so this is getting me better!  W00t!

Reviews are cherished.  Please write them!


	10. The End of the Day

Sooooooooo sorry for the long wait!  Veryvery sorry!  Computer troubles and laziness and school are my excuses!  You can thank Archaic Tears for this, because I am trying to extract another chapter of one of her stories out of her.  ) 

Wiccachic2000: Dirty dirty!  I've got many a wonderful thing planned for that garden, though, so don't you worry.  )

Patern: Yah.  Sorry.  ^.^;;

Moirasfate: Feedback on input is always nice, ne? Your writing style is so edgy, I love it!  I want that garden.  The idea for it has been floating around in my head for ages, morphing to fit whatever unwritten plot in my head, so it was good to get it down on paper, even though it felt as though I was letting go of a precious idea.  I can always create more gardens for other stories.

Steph: Thank you!  I'm trying.  Detail can be a wonderful thing, if I can manage to avoid tediousness. 

Jessy: I'm trying to keep up with it, but school is keeping me fairly busy. :/  Thank you for the support, though.  Nice comments keep me going.

Bakabaka: I didn't even think of the possibility of Sesshomaru/Kagome until I read "The Difference," which is a wonderfully written fic, and then found "Full Circle," another extremely well written piece.  They kind of inspired me.  J

Sammy-chan: So sorry for the wait!  School is busier than I thought, and I didn't get my computer until a few days ago.

Kitarra: Working on it!  It's taking longer than I thought it would, though. ¬.¬

Gwkitty: Thank you much!  I'm glad you like!  It's taking longer than anticipated.  Usually I am a bit better about posting.

Avihenda: So would I, but with the amount of trouble she already managed to fall into, I decided to take pity on her and let her go to class. 

Riley Cat:  Thanks.  Check out "The Difference" and "Full Circle."  They are really good Sesshomaru/Kagome fics.

Dee-Chan: Yeah, he's a bit too out of character, I think…hmmmm… Whoa.  Hadn't thought of the moon mark that way.  Idea!  Damn straight, the thought of kidnapping Sesshomaru is tempting.

Purple Mist:  Thankies!  I didn't think I would make the Garden and Star Room as detailed as I did.  Goes to show that some scenes write themselves.

Drkdemon: Workin' on it! Good, death by fancraze isn't pretty. )

Amy Lin: W00t!  Didn't think that it was THAT heady.  Good to know that it has power over the readers…my plot to take over the world has been furthered. )

Emily: I've thought that about the story, too!  I've been reading more lately.  For a while I didn't read or write much, so it's good to be back in the saddle, so to speak.  I feel good when I feel like I am accomplishing something.  J

Raidah: Coolness.  I'm flattered!  What do you mean by character placement?  It's helpful that you are giving me pointers, because they help me to write better.  Thankies! J

Zanne: Well, technically this isn't my FIRST fanfic…I wrote the first chapter to another Inu-Yasha fanfic and posted it on my livejournal long ago, but the writing isn't very good, so I prefer not to think about it.  I'll probably use it, eventually, because the idea is still original so far.  So many new writers and ideas!  I'd be extremely happy to have fanart!  It makes me feel special to even have someone offer.  J  Hana Yori Dango is soooo gooood!  So angsty and cute at the same time!

Seraphina:  Glad you like!  It seems I owe thanks to Alyson for a lot of my readers!  It's so cool that I have someone recommending it.  Big ego boost.  ;)

KimmySan: Eh, I wouldn't say BEST fic.  I think that there are some extremely good other fics out there.  I'm sure you'll be a great writer if you have the passion for it.  I feel the same way when I look at other people's writing.  Some people who are only 16 are loads better than me.  All I can say is, reading helped me a lot.  Helps you learn sentence structure, ect.

Voldersnort: Your comments are always appreciated and cherished.  Having people review for me gives me a warm, toasty feeling inside. J

Stormlight: I want that garden too!  That's why it kinda sucked to have it wandering through my brain for as long as it has (that would be YEARS, now…) Now I'm at school, and I want to change the address your book is shipping to, but I'm afraid that they will push the date back again.  Grar.

~': Yes!

Ice-chan: W00t!  Glad you enjoy it!

Water Soul:  Why, thank you!  Yes, I HAVE read Chimera!  I'm glued to that story.  It's so angsty and yummy!

Hsumi: You can be a member of the Fan Club!

Shada: Will do!

Senay: Sorry!  It's taken so long to make it through the Holidays and get my comp set up at school.  No they didn't send me a notice.  Think I need a paid account for that.  ¬.¬ It's a wonderful ego-booster for me to know that, though!  I've stumbled onto it in a few other peoples' favorites lists, too, and I nearly had a heart attack, I was so happy.  :D

Anhy: Workin' on it!  That's certainly high praise.  Thank you oodles.  :D

Aurora Borealis: Flattery will get you everywhere.  J Plot twistiness is a definite good thing, but I still don't really know where I'm going just yet.

Obeylikemonkey: Nice surprises are always nice.  I think I took a bit too long bringing this chapter out, though.  :/  I was getting my computer sent to school and set up.  Yes, plot twistyness is a good thing…still figuring out where I'm going with this myself.  Oh, god, not poking.  Anything but poking!

Vernal equinox: Yeah, sorry aboot that.  I had "issues" getting my comp to school and hooked up.  Before that my excuse was the holiday rush.  

Lightning:  I would advise cutting down on the caffeine.  After accidentally setting my cat on fire, I realized that was my problem, my addiction.  I am in a help group for caffeine addicts now.  Not that it keeps me from partaking of it, but at least I'm putting up a front.  )  (ps, this reply has been a result of a mocha coffee smoothie)

Kitarra:  So sorry!  Working, working!  No more excuses! 

Ok, Here we go!

* * *

Inu-Yasha; The High School Experience Chapter 10 "The Long Walk Home"

* * *

Finally, after many a mishap and stressful situation, Kagome's first school day came to a tentative end.

Figures it would go out with a bang, she thought, listening to the steady thud of what sounded like several hundred pairs of feet behind her.  The Fluffy Fan Club was following Sesshomaru, who happened to be pacing beside Kagome.  His manner was chilly again, and his silence would have been oppressive if not for the fact that it was blanketed by the racket that the herd of fan-girls behind them was making.  Kagome wondered vaguely why he was still with her, now that the school day was over.  She was following the general flow of students, who she assumed were leaving due to their hurry and good humor.

Her questioning thoughts were answered when he turned off of the main hall into a smaller branching one, which she recognized from that morning's trip to the Principal's office.  

The Fluffy Fan Club, carried forward by its own mass and inertia, overshot the turn.  Fan Club members' cries of distress echoed to Kagome's ears as she followed Sesshomaru into the main office, and from there into the honeycombed cubicles that they had walked past earlier.  They stopped in front of a desk that sported a plaque stating that the bespectacled man behind it was an academic advisor, and he cheerfully handed her a schedule detailing her classes and how to find them (to her relief) after he had procured her name from her.  Throughout the exchange Sesshomaru remained studiously aloof, not so much as looking at her, much less giving her some hint as to why he had escorted her.  

Sesshomaru led her back to Kaede's office after that, pausing stiffly to knock on the door before leading Kagome into the office, barely waiting for an affirmative answer to be called out before opening the door.  Kaede was working at her desk, too focused on the papers scattered across its glossy surface like so many fallen flower petals to bother looking up.  A look of mild annoyance flashed across Sesshomaru's pale countenance.

"Principal Kaede, you said that the girl would get a keyspell before the day was over.  Obviously you are too inept to accomplish even so simple a task."

Kaede finally lifted her head to look at him, here eyes still glazed with a distracted look.  With a slight shake of her head, her eyes focused on the Youkai, resting on him for a moment before here eyes snapped to Kagome, whose presence in the room she had finally detected.  Her eyes stayed on Kagome for a moment, a musing look steeling across her face, before she turned her attention back to her desk, tidying the papers into neat stacks and stowing them in filing folders which she then placed in a the waist-high gray filing cabinet beside her desk.  Kagome had not noticed it on her first trip to the office, and as she appraised it more closely she realized that all of the pictures that graced it's top were of Shippo. 

The sound of Kaede clearing her throat brought her back to the task at hand, and she returned her gaze to the Principal, who was focused on Sesshomaru.

"You're right, Sesshomaru.  I was… somewhat distracted, and neglected that duty."  She opened her desk drawer, reaching into the very depths of it to retrieve something that flashed silver and gold in the warm afternoon sunlight that was flowing through the window at her back.  Kagome stepped forward at her gesture, extending her hand to receive something small and smooth, coolly metallic.  She looked down into her palm to see a ring made half of gold and half of silver, the metals held together by a thin band of white ivory at one connection and black ivory at another, buffed to a high shine.  The light played on it strangely, reflecting phantom shadows and images too brightly for the light that was hitting it, almost making Kagome think that it existed in a different, brighter world.__

She looked up, catching Sesshomaru gazing at his left hand.  Following his line of sight she saw that he had a ring as well, but his seemed to be made almost entirely of silver, the gold in it the same width as the black-and-white ivory bands.  His eyes snapped up, catching her looking at his hand, and he deliberately placed it in his pocket, a nonchalant expression blanketing his face.

She ignored him and put the ring on the middle finger of her left hand, in the same position Sesshomaru had his ring.  She wondered vaguely why she had not noticed the ring earlier, but the sound of Kaede's voice stopped her from actually formulating the thought.  

"That is the your Identification Ring.  Each student has one, and each student's ring is different.  All of them start out as yours is, balanced, silver and gold, black and white.  It will change as it becomes accustomed to you, and will also change with you while you grow.  On a certain level, it represents "you."  Its appearance will change with the number and strength of spells you cast on it.  You will learn more about your ring in your classes."  She stood up, walking around her desk to stand in front of Kagome.  "Originally, you would have gotten a speaking-spell in the mail to allow you to pass through the gates, after which you would have received this ring, which allows you to pass through automatically.  We don't like to send these rings anywhere unattended, you understand.  It is important that you keep track of yours, as it is part of the school's security measures."  She put her hands on Kagome's shoulders.  "One last thing," she said, here eyes hard on Kagome's, "the ring has protection and alert spells cast on it already.  If you are ever in trouble, the ring will protect you to an extent, and it will also alert people who can help you, whether that be the police or friends.  If you need a place to run to, this school is always open to you."  Her eyes seared into Kagome's seeming to will her to understand something.

In a flash, Kagome understood.  Somehow, this woman had gone into her records and _knew_.  She was telling Kagome that she had safe refuge at the school if… if _he_ ever found her.   For a few moments, Kagome struggled with the anger she felt that her records had been opened without her consent, knowing that in this case it was a good thing.  Gratitude won over her anger, and she lifted her hands to cover and squeeze Kaede's, willing her own gratitude towards the woman without speaking.

Kaede seemed to understand, and smiled, stepping away.  "Keep safe, girl."  She said, turning back to her desk in obvious dismissal.  Kagome stood where she was for a few more moments, then turned away herself, glancing at Sesshomaru only long enough to see a slightly puzzled expression on his face before she walked out of the room, heading through the office and out into the hall.  

She had much to think about.

* * *

More to come soon, I swear!


	11. The Long Walk

Replies at the end this time!  Here's the chapter!

Inu-Yasha: the High school Experience

* * *

Sesshoumaru finally caught up to Kagome as she neared the exit, and he almost asked her what the looks and words that had flashed between she and the Principal had been about before he caught sight of the expression frozen across her features.  The look of thoughtfulness on her face was almost a kind of panic, and his sensitive nose picked up the sharp scent of fear from her.  Her face had taken on the look of fine glass, and she suddenly seemed tense and fragile, as though she would shatter at a snowflake's touch. He knew that if he approached her she would spook, like the colt he likened her to, and try to get away from him.  This excited him on one level—the thrill of the hunt was one that he rarely allowed himself to indulge in, but always gave him gratification—and disturbed him on another.  The fact that her fear was obviously for something other than himself tamped down his natural urge, and replaced it with curiosity and an odd kind of anger.  

It certainly wasn't standard procedure for the Principal to tell a student so intently that she was welcome to run to the school if there was trouble, which meant that Kaede thought that the girl would need the protection that the school had to offer.  As the school had a policy against interfering in student affairs more than was absolutely necessary, he could only assume that this thing that frightened the girl so was extremely dangerous.

He cast a sidelong glance at her, thinking that she was not anything extremely special, and didn't seem the kind to attract something powerful or dangerous.  True, she was pretty—for a human—but she wasn't anything outstanding.  Also true, though, was the fact that the Star Room had reacted to her as it had reacted to no other; since the stars had been drawn to her, who was to say that something else would not be drawn as well?

_Whatever it is_, he thought as he stepped out into the watery light of the overcast day beside her, _she warrants watching._

After that, he took to the rooftops, deciding that subtlety was the proper rout for this hunt.

* * *

Kagome didn't notice that Sesshomaru had stopped walking beside her until she stepped onto the train that would take her within walking distance of her new home.  She felt vaguely bad about not talking to him or saying goodbye—not that he had been polite enough to deserve a polite fare-well, but he _had_ taken her on the tour—before veering back to the train of thought that Kaede's allusions to having a safe haven had brought up in her mind.  She kept trying to remind herself that she was safe, that he couldn't find her; anything to thaw the ice that was gripping her heart.  She tried to look at the other passengers, tried to think of her day, tried to think of anything as long as it wasn't related to _Him_.  She could not distract herself from her fear, though, and spent the entire ride on the train locked a mental track of panicking "what ifs."

Distraction finally came after the train had arrived at its destination, disgorging its load of passengers before sliding off to its next destination.  As soon as Kagome walked out of the station and into the damp, gusting wind, she felt as though she was being watched.  A rumble of thunder in the distance announced with certainty that a storm was brewing, and the back of her neck prickled.  She glanced around as nonchalantly as possible, trying to slow her breathing after realizing that it was too rapid, matching the quickened beat of her heart.   The other passengers had disbanded, each walking off toward their homes alone or in groups that chattered about the coming rain and warm homes, and suddenly Kagome was wishing fervently for a group to walk with.  Not that having anyone else around would save her if _he_ found her, but the illusion of safety in numbers still comforted her, and conversation would have distracted her from her gripping fear.  Unfortunately, she had no one to walk with, no one to hold a conversation with to stave off the silence that had settled like a shroud around her.

So she walked alone, shivering and rubbing her arms as the wind picked up and sparse drops of rain spattered her face.  She tried to keep from hunching her shoulders, knowing that the chances of her being attacked by someone were small, but would be less if she didn't already look like a victim.  It would also give her a look of strength, which she knew _He_ would never expect from her.  He had known her as weak at times, and passionate at others, but He had never known her strength.  The strength had come after, when she ran away and sought out a new life.  She knew that he would never attribute the strength that had taken to her, perhaps instead assuming that it had been her family who had taken the steps to get her away from him and his "gang."

Their wild whoops and cries as they rode out to another night of "mischief making" would always ring in her memory, along with the memory of his pale, dead beauty.  

Movement to her left startled her from her thoughts, stopping her in her tracks as she focused on the area in the deepening twilight of the evening.  In the misty blue shadows, she thought she caught a glimpse of ebon and ivory, the pale white of dead skin and dull black of lackluster hair.

Fear seized control of her body, immediately overriding her rational thought functions and sending her in a blind run toward her house, which now seemed miles away instead of blocks.  Her mind was screaming at her.

_It's not him, it's not him!  He hasn't found you!  You are overreacting._ and, a slightly darker part of her mind, _Even if you run, you can't get away.  He will catch you, and it will all begin again.  You only give him fuel for his rage by running.  He will hunt you until he has you or you are dead.  He will hunt you even after death._

With the speed of a slow-moving sap, the knowledge that she wasn't being chased sank into her fear-numbed brain, and she staggered to lean against a building to catch her breath.  She had been running for a good minute, and her chest ached, lungs pushing air that felt as heavy as water.  She found herself in front of a building with empty, dark windows that faced an empty park that she would have to cross to reach her new house.  The thought of running through such an open and unguarded space defeated her urge to run, and she stopped, gasping for air.  After a last nervous glance around at the shadowed, empty street, she leaned back against the stained brick wall she had fallen against, and gave in to the shaking that was running over her body in wracking waves.  Her back slowly slid down the wall as her shaking legs gave way, setting her trembling body on her heels.  For a minute, she just sat as still as she could, not allowing herself—finally—to think about anything.  Of course, the reprieve only lasted for a moment, the support of her tenuous hold on her memories broken with the cold wind that carried the first drops of rain from the oncoming storm.   

Hot tears rose to her eyes and slowly broke away from her dark lashes, running down her wind-and-sweat chilled face like trickles of skin-searing lava.  One of them landed on her hands that lay curled on the ground like something dead or asleep. They twitched at the burning contact, and warmth slowly eked back into them enough for her to move them.  

She brought her hands up to her face, burying her face in them in a futile effort to hide from the memories and thoughts that ran through her head like an eternally looped movie scene.

_I should have just killed myself then.  I would not have to be afraid if I had.  If I had been stronger…_

_"So?  You know your soul belongs to me, wherever you go and whatever you do.  You can't get away from me, because you belong to me.  It's as simple as that."  Oh, that wicked, evil smile.  So dead and cold.  Cold enough to freeze and kill.  Cold cold cold… _

_"Stop it!  Stop it, can't you see that they've had enough?  Please, please stop it!"_

_"They need to know… they need to be taught a lesson…"_

_How did I live so long with them?  How did I survive?  How did I go on?_

_"You…"_

_How can I escape the memories?_

_"belong…"_

_How can I know that they won't find me?_

_"to…"_

_How can I know that they won't hunt down Houjo and Sango?  They know I had old friends…_

_"ME."_

_How?  How can I go on like this?_

"…I thought you were strong, girl."

Kagome's head snapped up, her eyes focusing on the figure in front of her.  Meeting soft, coldly brilliant golden eyes.  Disdainful eyes, set in skin of living ivory.

"It appears that I was wrong.  You are weak, just like the rest of them.  Go home and hide, _little girl_." There was a sneer in his voice as he stood before her, scowling down at her.  

Something in her snapped and suddenly she found herself on her feet, beating her fisted hands against him, trying to hit him anywhere her reach would allow.  Surprise flashed molten in his eyes for a split second before he caught her wrists in his hands and backed her against the wall, imprisoning her legs before she could strike with them.  He held her still as she continued to struggle for a few more moments, until she finally went limp and started cursing him between sobs instead, Tears of anger replaced the tears of anguish that had washed her face before.

"What do you know about true strength, you bastard?"  She ignored the flash of anger that sparked his eyes.  "What do you know about what is like to have to run, to hide, to fear for your life?"  _To fear for your very soul?_  The words stuck on her tongue, lodging them in her throat and almost choking her in their need to be spoken.  She would not say them.  She _could_ not say them.  That would be saying too much, and no one could know why her fear ran so deep, sweeping her away from the real world in its clawing current.  Her safety—no, her very life—depended on her keeping her past secret.  She realized that she had already said too much as she stared up into Sesshomaru's eyes and recognized the spark of interest.  It almost seemed that he had heard her last thought, the one that she had left unvoiced.  That look of interest was enough to galvanize her muscles, get her moving.  "Let me go.  I'm fine now.  Let me _go!_"  She pushed at him again, trying to get him to back off of her, but he wouldn't budge.  Instead, his grip on her arms tightened, and he pressed her back more tightly to the wall.  Something that was almost frightening was glowing in his eyes. 

"What if I say that I do not believe you?"

* * *

Cliffhanger cliffhanger, yay!  I'm sadistic, yes I am.  This chapter is twice as long as the last one, to make up for the cop out that was the last chapter I wrote.  Hopefully this time the replies won't make up the bulk of the page.   =)  I love everyone who reviews much.  By the way, if I ever threaten to not write unless people review, you all have my go ahead to put out a contract on me, because that's just evil.  I am extremely grateful to everyone who reviews, and to tell the truth, this story probably wouldn't' exist if it weren't for you guys (because I'm a lazy lazy bum).  I love you all!

LilFoxGirl: Oh no, NOT THE POCKY!!!!  Nooooooooooo!  I'm uberglad you like this fic even though it's not your normal pairing.  Nehehe.  This means that my evil plan to take over the world is progressing nicely.  )

Steph: Yeah, I wanted to end the day because I was just thinking that if I keep at the pace I'm going now it'll be eons before I finish the story. Bleh.  I was defeated by my own brain, though, and ended up continuing the day.  ;.;  I'm such a freak!  And all will be revealed in the end, in a blaze of glory!  Or something!  And I felt that after that last pitiful thing that doesn't even deserve the title of "chapter," I owed you guys something better.  :)

Avihenda: I tried to do better on the length of this one.  I felt bad for posting a chapter that had longer replies than actual writing.  X.x  And I was going to e-mail you after uploading, but my internet kicked out minutes after I uploaded the chapter itself.  ;.;  I'll see if I can't get you an e-mail for this one.  ;)  And I'm not saying who it is.  Nopenope. ;)

Brianna Aisling: I loooooove to teeeease.  )  I just put more work out there.  I'm still focusing on this story, though.  Thank you!  I love it when people like my stories.  Makes me feel all warm and squishy inside.  ^_______^

Xahra99: I'm glad my fic doesn't suck!  One of my friends told me that I started the Inu-Yasha highschool genre, which I find gratifying and disturbing at the same time.  o.O  Ooooooooh.  White Dog.  Will read.  Thanks for telling me.  There are so many IY fics now that I don't have the patience to wade through them all to find the really good ones.  :)  And I'm nineteen myself, dear, so you are not alone.  ^^;

Sd_tenshi_: Sorry for the shortness of that last chapter.  I'll do better I swear!  :D  Look, look, an update!

Katie: Sorry to keep you all waiting.  I'm such a bad fanfic author, treating my readers so.  ;.;  Look, more! :)

Monmon: I am!  Look look! I'm glad I can captivate my readers.  )

NyankoYokai: Nono, I'm still alive, and I wouldn't leave you guys hanging forever!  Just close to forever!  I'll see if I can do better.  School's almost over this year.  :d

Lady Shadowflame: I'm amazed that so many people make it through the first chapters to the better ones later on.  :o  I'm trying to update more often, with longer chapters, because I know how annoying it is to get little tidbits.  Thankies!

Archaic Tears: You are pretty much responsible for this chapter here, girl.  If not for our deal, I would have left this story to languish while I puttered around on livejournal. *Is squeezed to death.*  I'm trying to keep the readers on their toes, but I don't know how long I'll be able to keep it up.  X.x  And yes, yes I am ebil.  )

WaterDragon: I'm working on it.  ;)  I'm glad people who don't go for alternate pairings are liking this.  Makes me feel speeecial.  :D

Vernal Equinox: Nehehehe.  I have some evil plans for Kagome.  )  I have fun torturing the characters.  I'm gonna try to keep more on top of the story this time.  School is busy, and I am lazy, and never the twain should meet.  

Drkdemon: Glad you're still enjoying it.  I'm trying to keep it good.  :d  Sesshie is just so yummy!

CobaltPrincess: Thank you!  All will be reviealed eventually.  )

Alyson Metallium: Ahh, I realized that the replies were longer after I uploaded it.  I'm such a bad fanfic author.  ;.;  Hopefully this will be better, though.  It's hard, though, because of the wide spaces between line breaks.  I made the actual writing in this chapter twice as long as that last (or more) to try to make up for it.  ^^;  More ficcie for you!

Baka deshi: suggestion noted and acted on.  ^^  I was thinking of doing this before, but I probably wouldn't have changed it unless some intelligent reader (like yourself) actually mentioned it.  :)

Na'atz: Wait no more!  Here is the next chappie!  :)

Oniko: Thank you!  And thank you for bringing the black ivory thing to my attention.  I was apparently on some kind of crack when I was writing that.  o.O  I think I will leave it, though, and work something into the plot about it.  If it looke like I won't be able to, I'll just change it to ebony (stone seems almost too harsh).  Thank you!  Some really well-written Sess/Kago fics inspired me.  :)  I'll keep working.  ;)

Jo: Yay!I'm glad you like it.  I'm trying to work on my writing style, and hopefully it is/will improve.  I want to see the garden too.  Maybe I will draw it and post a link somewhere.  :o  I'll keep working.  ;)

Moirasfate: Heee. ^____^  I feel special because people put me on their favorite authors lists.  Thank you!  I have fun responding.  I wish there was a way to reply to reviews on the review page instead of in the chapters, though.  That would be so much better.  :)  I still need to check up on more of your stories.  I've been so busy lately that I can't afford an all-nighter, which is what would happen if I started reading one.  :P

Winter: Wheee!  More will be revealed on Kagome's past eventually.  I had no idea I would do the ring thing until I wrote it, and now I have a couple of chapters planned around it.  O.o  I am a freak.

Blue Polaris:  Heeee.  I'll try to be better about updating.  X.x  There will be plenty more Sess/Kago moments.  )  Count on it.

Archangela: Thank you!  I'll do my best to keep it moving.  :o

Stormlight: I made a longer one!  Look, look!  :D  I already talked with you about getting the book from you, and I just got around to sending you the money order for it.  I wrote the letter early in the morning so expect something… eclectic.  ^^;

Lil gurlie: See, see, another chapter!  I'm working on updating more often, but school is kicking my ass!

Terradi: Hehe.  It's good to be loved.  Especially in a worshipful, I'm a god kind of way.  MUAhahahahahaaaa!  I'll try to keep up the writing.  :o

Mary: Thank you!  I feel honored.  :)  I'll do my best to keep it up.  I'm just such a slacker sometimes.  X.x

Pennath: Sorry for the extended wait!  I hate it when that happens, so I'll try to be better about not letting update-less months go by.  :o  Look, a longer chapter!  :)

Obeylikemonkey: I missed you too!  The FFC is just plain insane.  That's why we fit in so well.  XD  I did a longer chapter, look!  I'll try to keep it up for you, so that you don't have to read crap.  :o

N/A: Whoever you are, Ok!  :D

Wheeeeew.  Look the replies only take up one third of the test this time!  Wooooo! 


	12. A Little Hint of Evil

*Hmmm... This is starting to feel like a soap opera. o.O* Kinda short, still. I just don't have the attention span for long chapters. ;_; I'm changing my author name on Fanfiction.net to Wasurera, so heads up on that. This is for all of you who begged and pleaded and waited patiently for me to get off my ass. I don't anticipate such a long wait until the next chapter. Sorry that I didn't respond to everyone separately, I'm low on time this go 'round. The lyrics are from the song Duende by Delerium. It's a good song. =)  
  
Inu-Yasha; The High School Experience  
  
~Bleak desolation  
  
In a beam of sun  
  
Scraping as I crawl  
  
Your heart can't hear me  
  
Tearing bruising fall  
  
Your hands can't hear me  
  
Thirsting raging blind  
  
Your eyes can't hear me  
  
Racing against time  
  
Your arms can't hear me~  
  
Kagome stared at him, intensely aware of his presence crowding into her personal space. He bothered her.  
  
Why won't he leave me alone?  
  
"I would say, Sesshoumaru, that you have no business interfering with me or my well-being. It doesn't matter to me what you believe." She kept her voice as icy as she could manage. His eyes narrowed, his pupils contracting as he searched her face for something. Kagome was almost beyond caring what he was looking for, so weary was she. She thought vaguely that his eyes were a shockingly animal feature in such a human face. Such a pure golden-yellow, sunshine through rippled glass. Up close, they were even more striking because she could clearly see their gracefully long, beautifully symmetrical shape, see how strongly their color contrasted with his dark lashes and light skin. His eyelids were the same red of his stripes. She wondered if it was natural. She supposed it was, just as the blue moon on his brow was. She knew that the Youkai Lords often bore marks like that. She knew that her mind was starting to wander horribly. It worried her. She needed to have control of her mind. She needed control of the situation.  
  
"Let me go now. I'm tired, and I want to go home."  
  
She made to move, but he still didn't move, his silent regard still roving her face. She wondered if he would smell her again.  
  
A shiver rolled down her back.  
  
"I am not ready to let you go yet, girl. You are frightened of something. Whatever it is worried Kaede." His calm voice dispelled her thought.  
  
"So? It doesn't concern you! Get that through your thick skull! Leave me alone, go home, terrify some servants!"  
  
"If it involves my school, it involves me. The school is part of my territory. If anything threatens it, I will be affected by it." His eyes were still narrowed, glinting coldly through his black lashes in the eternally creeping evening shadows. "Kaede put you in my care. That makes you mine, part of my territory, worthless human as you are-"  
  
Kagome shrieked and threw all of her weight against him, sending him off balance with her unexpected violence. She leaned down and pulled something from her shoe, and when she came up Sesshoumaru was surprised-no, shocked- to see that it was a switchblade. It was so thin and finely made that she had been able to stow it away in her shoe without notice, and it looked to be spelled.  
  
Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed to ivory-and-gold slits. Of course. It had to be spelled, and strongly, otherwise she wouldn't have been able to get it past the school security wards.  
  
"I am not yours! I am not part of anyone's territory! I belong to myself!" Her eyes wild and fierce, full of a panic and rage that turned them a blue so icy as to almost freeze rain to snow, she leapt at Sesshoumaru, who had been backing away in fear that she would hurt herself in her rage. She lunged past him, her body stretching to the lines of a doe in flight as she streaked into the park toward her house. Halfway across the park, with the lights of her new house a glimmer of hope in her eyes, she was caught.  
  
She felt a delicate zephyr of air breathing softly against her left cheek and the column of her neck, and spun to fight only to find her hands achingly empty of weapons, grasping at chilled, empty evening air that felt icy to her now-hot palms. He landed crouching in front of her, blocking her panicked escape as he tucked her blade into his pocket in a move smooth as a ripple on water. She twirled to run the other way, and felt his arms come around from behind her with the speed and feel of warm, sinuous snakes, holding her in an unbreakable, unquestionable grip. She felt as though her life was being choked out of her by their hold, pulling her back as she tried to bolt again. Her teeth snapped at the air as she growled and twisted like a wild thing.  
  
"No! I won't be anyone's. I can't take it again!" She cried, her defiant cry despairing to a plea at the end. She fought and clawed and twisted and squirmed, and eventually her energy drained. Her voice was quiet as her body when next she spoke, a whisper of a breeze at the end of a gale.  
  
"I have to be my own. I have to belong to myself." Sesshoumaru was silent for an interminable moment, drawing the seconds into a short thread of eternity from the spindle of time. Finally he sighed, streaming warm air across her neck. A shiver shimmied its way down her back.  
  
"You are your own, but I have need to protect my territory. If something threatens the School, it is my responsibility. My father put this sector of the city in my charge to test my governing skills. If you know of something that might become a threat to my lands, I need to know of it. Simply to protect my territory."  
  
For another seeming eternity, Kagome was silent, her tired mind doing its best to assess what he was saying. For once she felt lucky to having him behind her, because she didn't have the stress of bearing his intent gaze as she thought. The down side was that she couldn't see his eyes to tell her how sincere his words were. He could be lying to her to get information. Then again, he could be telling the truth, and really was the lord of this area of the city, merely worried about a possible threat.  
  
After an agony of thought that wore on her last reservoirs of strength, she finally spoke.  
  
"If you see any young people on motorcycles, especially dressed in black and red, be on your guard. And let me know." Her voice was tired and weak, fading fast like sunlight filtered through too many panes of glass, and Sesshoumaru knew that that was all the information she would give her. He felt her muscles losing strength as the shock of the chase and her fear wore off, and soon he found himself supporting most of her weight.  
  
Sesshoumaru frowned as he realized that she was no longer conscious, or at least conscious enough to support her own weight. It disturbed him.  
  
She should not have been so weak. True, her day had not been easy, but he knew plenty of humans who had worse days and did not lose so much strength. The thought that she might be diseased crossed his mind, and his lips twisted in distaste. It was rare for human illnesses to touch Youkai, but they were still disgusting.  
  
After a moment of thought he discarded the thought. She had not indicated any such illness, and he could smell nothing off in her scent that might indicate that she wasn't physically fit, but her scent could tell him nothing about her mental state other than that she had been extremely afraid. He knew that fear could be debilitating in the long run, and somehow he thought that she had been afraid for a long time.  
  
Knowing that he would not find anything else out by just standing in the park with her, he lifted her in his arms, noticing that her eyes were open, if slightly glazed. He suffered a moment of worry-no, discomfort, he would never worry about a mere human-at the thought that she might have damaged herself in her frantic escape. Securing her with one arm, he waved a slender hand in front of her eyes, noting that they were tracking movement, which meant that she wasn't in a complete stupor.  
  
"Where do you live, girl?" He demanded, hoping that she was aware enough to tell him. He didn't fancy the idea of being saddled with a sick human female. Her eyes listlessly lay on him for a moment, then drifted away, toward one of the houses on the edge of the park. The porch light was on, glowing warmly yellow in the now all-consuming shadows. He took that as an answer and started walking toward it, adjusting her so that he could carry her more easily. His strength, being Youkai, was great enough that he barely felt her weight, but he knew that she was too light and thin even by human standards. His brow furrowed a little bit, and he looked down at her as he walked through the night to see her eyes staring up at him in bemusement. As he reached the porch of the average, uniformly unappealing house her eyes seemed to gain a little more animation and she started to struggle, only to be shushed by him as he knocked on her door.  
  
It opened to reveal a middle aged woman whose face immediately filled with worry.  
  
"Are you the girl's mother?" Sesshoumaru asked, coolly. His manner was clam, keeping the woman from panicking too much.  
  
"Y-yes. Please, bring her in." The woman backed away from the door, opening it so that Sesshoumaru could pass though, then closing it behind him.  
  
* * *  
  
"What?" The voice wasn't warm or cold. It was dry and smooth as fine sand, sending uncomfortable gritty shivers through those who heard it, while still giving the impression of something smooth and slippery as a snake's skin. It had no inflection at all, falling into the air like a dead thing. It gave the impression that even in the most echo-prone room it would not have reflected from the walls, but would have wound it's way through the air with no aid of bouncing sound waves. Indeed, the owner of the voice didn't seem quite natural, fitting his voice well.  
  
The girl in front of him cowered away from him.  
  
"Th-there's no word of her. For a few moments, we caught her tracker-spell on the switchblade, but it disappeared too swiftly for us to identify the area that it came from. All we know is that she is still in the country, and not in the Saitama prefecture anymore." The girl seemed to shrink into herself. The figure before her didn't move or speak for a torturously long time, and she was sweating by the time he spoke.  
  
"You mean that you had a lead on her, and you lost it." The voice crawled with the slow, insidiously deceptive movement of a spider over her skin. She didn't dare shiver.  
  
"Y-yes, Naraku." Her voice stayed cold and as sure as she could keep it. Weakness wasn't acceptable. They all knew what happened to weak people where Naraku was concerned. None of the people along the walls, lounging in the chairs and at the tables made any kind of sound or movement.  
  
"I am very disappointed with your efforts." The words fell on her ears like daggers on tissue paper, tearing away her composure.  
  
"I'm sorry, Naraku! We tried our best to find her, but the signal-"  
  
"The signal was there for you to read. You failed at a very simple task."  
  
"Please forgive me, Naraku! I won't fail you again, I swear it! We'll find her and bring her back-" She scrambled for words that would stave off his anger. His very lack of emotion was more unnerving than screaming anger would have been from a charging lion.  
  
"No. When you find her, you will tell me where she is. Then we will retrieve her after I assess the situation. Do not overstep your orders. She's mine to catch." Emotion finally glinted in his eyes, and it sent a shudder of fear and loathing through her.  
  
No matter how badly she was punished, she would not want to be in Kagome Higurashi's shoes when Naraku caught her.  
  
~Like and angel you'll come  
  
In a dream, precious one  
  
And, make me beautifully numb  
  
Desperate panicked calls  
  
The wind can't hear me  
  
Muffled weak and small  
  
The sand can't hear me  
  
Pleading groping hands  
  
The truth can't hear me  
  
Bleeding in the sand  
  
Your heart can't hear me  
  
Bleak desolation  
  
In a beam of sun~ 


	13. A Little Bit of Down Home

The lyrics are from "Bring Me To Life" by Evanescence, which is a kickass song.^^ If you like Linkin Park, but wish you could hear that kind of music with female vocals, check out this song. Many songs from this group can fit many stories, especially angsty ones. ^^;  
How can you see into my eyes  
  
like open doors.  
  
Leading you down into my core  
  
where I've become so numb.  
  
Without a soul  
  
my spirit's sleeping somewhere cold  
  
until you find it there and lead it back home.  
Kagome found herself laid out on the couch in her living room, with a very silent, very still Youkai standing over her and doing not much more than looking intimidating. She was finally coming out of her fear-induced haze, and the memories of her recent... altercation... with Sesshoumaru crowding through her veil of bemusement. Her face and neck grew hot with a flush of embarrassment as her recent memories replayed in her head and she realized how crazy she had been acting. He probably thought that she was completely off her rocker. She sat up and wedged herself into the far corner of the couch, nervously aware of his chilly regard the entire time.  
  
A long moment of silence stretched out, amplifying the sounds of food preparation that Kagome's mother made in the kitchen to a din worthy of a herd of wild bulls... or Sesshoumaru's ever-devoted Fan Club. Kagome fidgeted uncomfortably.  
  
"So..." she muttered, not looking up. He didn't move, other than to elevate one eyebrow in a way that Kagome was beginning to hate.  
  
"So?" Was the singular response.  
  
"Ah... I wanted to thank you," Kagome began. She was cut off by an incredulous noise from Sesshoumaru.  
  
"You-thanking-I do not think that I just heard that," His sharp gaze cut into her, his eyes almost seeming to laugh at her, "Repeat it."  
  
"I said, I want to thank you. You have been very kind to me, for some reason, and I am thanking you for that kindness." Her teeth ground together.  
  
"I am so sorry, I did not quite catch that. Could you please-"  
  
"You heard that just fine, FLUFFY." she glowered, disliking the definite amusement that was coloring his expression. The amusement faded fast when the last word dropped from her unthinking lips. He leaned forward, crowding her even more into the corner of the couch.  
  
"I am not the one pushing luck, GIRL. If you so much as whisper that word again, so help me-"  
  
"Ah, Kagome, you're finally awake again! I was so worried!" Kagome's mother hurried in, cutting through the piled tension in the room like a raindrop through a snowdrift. "Sesshoumaru-sama was kind enough to bring you home after you collapsed. Are you all right, dear? You haven't collapsed since- "  
  
"I'm fine, Mom. I just had a tough first day. And don't call him 'sama,' he doesn't deserve it." Her eyes bit into Sesshoumaru, only to be deflected by his expressionless stare.  
  
Ms. Higurashi's eyes were troubled. "A tough first day? What-"  
  
"What were you saying earlier about her last collapse, Ms. Higurashi? How did it happen?" Sesshoumaru's attention strained on the woman, who quickly became flustered.  
  
"Ah, well, that was back when all of those horrible things happened with that Gang-"  
  
"Mother! He doesn't need to-"  
  
"Your Mother was speaking. Do not interrupt her, it is rude."  
  
"Rude? Rude? This coming from the king of rude, the-"  
  
"You respect your Mother. Even humans should understand this concept, low as you are-"  
  
"How can you get on my case for interrupting my mother and then put her down?"  
  
"I did not 'put her down' as you put it. I merely-"  
  
"Insulted her race?"  
  
"I wasn't-"  
  
"Insinuating that she is a horrible mother?"  
  
"That's not-"  
  
"Stomping and spitting upon everything that she stands for and believes in?"  
  
"Now, that is a low attack, you-"  
  
"Would anybody like some dinner?" Ms. Higurashi interrupted. Her expression, throughout the argument, had remained placid.  
  
"I would be honored, Ms. Higurashi."  
  
"What?" Kagome fixed an incredulous gaze on her mother. "You can't be serious. He-"  
  
"He brought you home when you had a problem. I think that it was very nice of him, so I'm inviting him for dinner. Go grab Souta, Kagome, he's up in his room listening to his headphones again, so he can't hear me calling." Kagome sputtered for a few seconds before she caught Sesshoumaru's amused look and snapped her mouth shut. The stairs creaked as she pounded angrily up them.  
  
Souta's room was unnaturally tidy for a young boy's living space. His few toys marched in tidy lines across his shelves, and his sheets were tucked tidily onto his bed. Even laying on the covers listening to music, Souta looked tidy. His eyes were closed and his expression was restful.  
  
Kagome grabbed one of the earpieces of his headphones and bellowed into his ear. "DINNER!"  
  
Souta screeched and bolted off of the bed. "Jeez," he wiggled his finger in his ear to try to bring his hearing back. "Kagome, you didn't have to do that." He looked puzzled.  
  
"No, I didn't, but I figured it would do you some good to get some excitement in your life." She chuckled a bit, sitting down on his bed. Her laughing slowly relaxed and drew into seriousness.  
  
"Listen. we have a guest for dinner, and I don't want you to tell him anything about what happened before we moved here, alright? He's nosy and he'll probably ask you about it, but he doesn't need to know anything." She gripped one of his hands in hers, holding on a little too tightly for comfort. He looked uncertain, but he nodded. "Alright, lets go down for dinner. Whatever it is smells really good, and I'm hungry."  
  
After Kagome had left, the girl's mother had stood for a moment, facing the stares. Sesshoumaru couldn't see her face, but she didn't seem happy. Finally she turned around.  
  
"I have to thank you again for bringing her back. She may not show it well, but she is too." She trundled over to the sofa that Kagome had recently occupied and sat down, caressing the pillow that Kagome's head had rested on. "Please, sit down."  
  
Sesshoumaru sat down, giving Kagome's mother his full attention.  
  
"She's been through a lot. It's stripped away a lot of her strength, made it hard for her to function. Actually, she's been a lot more active with you than I've seen her in a very long time, since before everything started." She smiled at him, a sad tilt to her lips.  
  
"What, exactly, did happen? I know that she did not want you to tell me." Sesshoumaru allowed his expression to loosen from his normal mask.  
  
"That is her secret to tell. If I am not mistaken, though," she peered at him, her head slightly canted to the side, "you are the current Lord of this area. Your Father chose well." She sounded so sure.  
  
"Do you know my Father?"  
  
"Me? Why would I know your Father? No, you just have that air about you, as though you were born to take care of people. That is good." She patted the pillow one last time and set it aside. "Because you are the governing Lord of the area, and because I like you, I will give you some advice. Watch out for any motorcycle gangs with unusually young members, and watch for spider symbols. The spider is the symbol of the leader, and he is the most dangerous person that I have ever met. The whole Gang is dangerous, and we can't stay here if they show up." She stood up. "Now, I'm going to go set the table for dinner. You just sit down and relax for a while."  
  
"Are you sure that you do not require my assistance?" Sesshoumaru made to get up, but was waved away.  
  
"No, no, you just sit down for a bit. I'll have everything set in a few minutes."  
  
Sesshoumaru sat listening to Ms. Higurashi putter around the kitchen, humming. So, he thought, his eyes narrowed, Kagome is extremely frightened of someone, probably in the gang. And the leader is the most dangerous one. He had just decided to send out his private guard to find out the whereabouts of the gang when Kagome raced into the room, chasing a little boy.  
  
"Souta, you little punk, if you tickle me again you're dead!" Sesshoumaru watched with interest as the girl registered his presence again and slowed down.  
  
"Souta, come here. I have to introduce you to our guest." The little boy obligingly stepped over, warily watching his sister for any signs of retaliation. "Sesshoumaru, this is Souta, my little brother. Souta, this is Sesshoumaru, one of the most arrogant-"  
  
"Kagome." Came the warning from the kitchen.  
  
"But kind-spirited schoolmates. He walked me home today." She dared Sesshoumaru to expose her lie.  
  
"Actually," Sesshoumaru said, meeting her glare with his laughing one, "I had to carry her home. She really is very heavy." He enjoyed the sound of extreme suppressed anger that rose in Kagome's throat.  
  
"Kagome, is that true?" Souta became extremely distressed, looking up questioningly at his sister's face. "Did you fall again? The doctors said that-"  
  
"Souta, you promised!" Her voice was a hiss.  
  
"Oh, sorry, but Kagome-"  
  
"Shh, Souta, we can talk about it later."  
  
Dinner was an interesting affair for Sesshoumaru, who had never eaten a meal with a human family before. He wasn't quite sure if he liked it. The food was delicious, and smelled heavenly, though the flavors and smells weren't as strong as he was used to. Intertwined with the food scent was the scent of human, Ms. Higurashi's rosewater and soap scent, Kagome's shampoo and oils sent, Souta's sandy, salty scent.  
  
They were talking constantly, about Kagome's first day, sans several pertinent details that Kagome didn't want to tell her mother-he got several dirty looks from her during this, and a few appraising looks from her mother. The boy was just shocked by the whole thing-about Souta's first day, which wasn't nearly as interesting as Kagome's, and about the odd happenings in the neighborhood. Sesshoumaru wanted to ask about the whereabouts of Kagome's father, but knew that it might be awkward. Souta was quiet during most of the meal, seeming to not quite be sure what to make of the Youkai.  
  
The evening wound down, and the conversation with it. Sesshoumaru felt that this was his queue to leave. "Thank you very much for your hospitality, Ms. Higurashi. The food was excellent. I am afraid that I must make my pardons, because I am expected at home." He rose from the table.  
  
"No, thank you for joining us. Please, feel welcome to come over again. We'd be glad to have you" Ms. Higurashi smiled up at him, her weary face looking young and fresh for a moment before falling back into its slightly worried expression. They made their way over to the door. Kagome pouted slightly the whole time, finally loosening up as she opened the door for Sesshoumaru.  
  
"Again, thank you for your help tonight. Let us never speak of it again." And she turned away, running up the stairs in slight embarrassment. Souta waved a nervous goodbye and followed her, leaving Sesshoumaru and Ms. Higurashi standing in the open front door, the wet night air slipping into the house around them.  
  
"Well. I will have to have a talk with my children about their manners. Have a nice night Sesshoumaru. Would you like me to call a taxi for you?" Her voice was slightly tired.  
  
"No, Ms. Higurashi, I will be fine. Remember, I have natural defenses. Good night, and thank you again for having me. It was. nice." He surprised himself with the truth.  
  
"It was a pleasure to have you. For me, at least. For Kagome I don't think it was quite as fun." Her eyes were twinkling. "And, there's one last thing. if it wouldn't be too much trouble, could you, perhaps, keep an eye on Kagome? Just to make sure that she doesn't get into too much trouble?" She sounded hopeful. Sesshoumaru sighed inwardly.  
  
"I will take care of her, Ms. Higurashi."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Now that I know what I'm without  
  
you can't just leave me.  
  
Breathe into me and make me real  
  
Bring me to life. 


	14. Spell Failure

Chapter 14: Taking Care of Her

by wasurera (aka Icdragons)

Lyrics from "It's The Fear" by Within Temptation

It waits for the day I will let it out.  
To give it a reason, to give it its might.

I fear who I am becoming,  
I feel that I am losing the struggle within.  
I can no longer restrain it,  
My strength it is fading,  
I have to give in.

"Taking care" of Kagome proved more difficult than Sesshoumaru anticipated... but then, he had learned to expect the unexpected from the strange girl. Instead of simpering and thanking him when he showed up the next morning to accompany her to school, she glared at him, her dark eyes snapping with annoyance. When he offhandedly mentioned that she might thank him for his thoughtfulness, her "_thank you_" left him thinking she would have substituted a much cruder word for 'thank' were her mother not looking on.

In their classes the girl did well enough – she knew her history, math and science, and in theory she understood magic.

Her first attempt at performing a simple defense charm, however, led him to wonder why she was attending the Mahou Meiro School at all, until he remembered the Star Room. It also had him renewing his internal promise to keep her safe, the resolution sitting too comfortably with him.

"Remember, all you're doing is closing the circle of energy," the instructor's monotone voice echoed through the vast, empty Magical Practices room, "we've already prepared the runes needed to complete the protective circle – you're just providing the energy to activate the spell. For this spell you are just the battery, powering the circle." He gave them all hard-eyed looks. "We won't be focusing on un-anchored magic until we cover advanced spell-casting. For some of you this may be easy," he nodded to Sesshoumaru, "and for others..." he cocked an eyebrow in Inu-Yasha's general direction, and Sesshoumaru muffled an amused snort. They all remembered his brother's last attempt at magic. He was much better at acts of brute strength than magic, and the whole school (and everyone within a ten block radius) knew it.

Sesshoumaru ignored the instructors continuous droning, instead finding Kagome where she stood waiting next to her carefully drawn rune circle. She looked nervous, and something in the slump of her shoulders told him that she was not looking forward to the coming spell-casting.

_Why? _Between meeting her yesterday and today, he had developed a sensitivity to her aura – a familiarity, almost. The energy around her swirled and glowed with a subtle golden radiance, shot through with brighter streaks, like streaks of sunlight breaking through clouds. Sesshoumaru had never seen an aura quite like it.

It was impossible to tell exactly how much magical ability she had, but that aura told him she had more than enough latent potential to easily master a rune-structured spell – all she would need to do was channel her power and release it. Like pulling the trigger on a pre-loaded, pre-aimed gun, or throwing a blade that had been spelled to always hit its target.

A booming crash interrupted Sesshoumau's thoughts, rattling through the room and almost shaking Sesshoumaru's footing.

He instinctively took a step toward Kagome before his senses alerted him that there was no danger present. He heard a low growl in his head and his fists clenched against his will.

After assuring himself Kagome was unharmed he surveyed the room, his eyes coming to rest on his brother, who stood in the center of what was left of his rune-circle, ankle-deep in pulverized floor tile. The black-and-white tiles had been reduced to a gray powder, and his brother was covered in black soot from head to foot, his hair smoking and smelling of sulfur.

"While I appreciate your enthusiasm, Inu-Yasha," the teacher's voice took on a dry tone, "perhaps we could do with a little _less_ of it."

Sesshoumaru wrinkled his nose with distaste, then caught Kagome looking on, trying – and failing – to stifle her laughter. Their eyes met for a moment and he lifted an eyebrow at her. For some reason that sent her into more laughter, and he almost found himself wanting to laugh with her.

Instead he scowled, hiding the instinct to smile with her, and she stuck her tongue out at him.

What would he have done if there really was an attack on her?

A pinching pain in his hand made him look down. Blood dripped from his fist, and he opened his hand to reveal that his claws had dug into his own palms. He frowned. An inkling of uncomfortable suspicion trickled through him.

He was always in perfect control of his body, except when...

_No. Not possible._

He shook himself out of those dangerous thoughts

_No one could attack her on school grounds,_ He assured himself. _She is safer here than anywhere else._

A dark, gravelly voice rumbled inside his head, and he silently cursed as his suspicions were confirmed.

_Except at the Palace of the Moon, _his beast whispered to him, _she would be safest there. We could lock her up, keep her all for ourselves_.

For a fraction of a second Sesshoumaru agreed, but then he rebelled against the long-silent voice of the dog-god in him, warring against the unexpected upsurge of possessive greed within him.

His beast rarely spoke directly to him, and it had never reacted in such a way, especially to a _human._

He hated the feeling of not being in complete control of his body, so he had always avoided situations that brought the dog-god to the fore. He _would_ remain in control of his own actions. He knew the consequences of losing control.

_We will do no such thing, _he told his beast,_ She's a human._

_She is ours! _His beast snarled at him. Sesshoumaru felt his fangs and claws lengthening, his jaw aching as it tried to lengthen.

There would be no arguing with his beast. It was his Id, oddly childlike and yet so powerful that if left uncontrolled it would cause unbelievable mayhem. Sesshoumaru was always powerful, but with his beast unleashed he became _more._ He became the god he was, the scion of the Moon... and uncontrollable, even unto himself. Part of why he kept himself detached was to avoid emotions that might rouse his beast. He would not be like his brother, lacking in control over his own emotions... _could_ not be like his brother. When Inu-Yasha let his beast take over, he became a monster; when Sesshoumaru lost to his beast, whole cities would become rubble.

He wouldn't let a human girl ruin his hard-won calm. He would protect her, as he had promised, but once he had destroyed whatever threatened her he would have to distance himself from her again.

_Fool, _his beast snapped at him, _too stubborn to see a gift within our hands._

_That is enough. _Sesshoumaru smothered the voice, knowing he would pay for it later. Fighting with his beast always left him with a wicked headache.

Sesshoumaru's foul mood became even fouler as he watched Kagome dig a handkerchief out of her blazer pocket and hand it to his brother. His chest knotted up and his fangs pricked his bottom lip.

The sight of his half-brother wiping away soot with Kagome's pretty handkerchief, dirtying its pristine lace with black smudges, had his beast snarling within him.Sesshoumaru pushed and shoved the voice into a mental box. Even after he had the dog-god sedated within him, he felt the urge to pull Kagome's attention away from his fool brother.

_Show her what a _real_ demon can do. _Sesshoumaru frowned. That voice hadn't come from his beast.

Showing off to impress a female – _especially_ a human one...

His brother sneezed, further dirtying her handkerchief.

_Then again, my fool brother _does_ need a role-model. He will never learn, otherwise._

The teacher, well used to Inu-Yasha's small disasters, had been continuing down the line of students, and now he was in front of Sesshoumaru, nodding at him to begin.

He stepped into the protective ring, pausing long enough to make sure that Kagome was paying attention, and effortlessly gathered just enough energy to trigger the protective spell.

With a flicker of concentration he released his energy into the spell, and the circle and runes marking the floor around him flared to bright white life. A dome of silver light surrounded him, a shimmering field of energy that would deflect any aggressive magics and a substantial physical attack. The teacher nodded with satisfaction.

"Very good, Sesshoumaru. As expected."

With a flick of his hand, Sesshoumaru dispersed the shield, hiding a satisfied grin. Clearly his beast was still close to the surface, because he found himself enjoying the impressed look in Kagome's eyes.

From the ventilation window above the door a fangirlish sigh went up, accompanied by the sound of clicking cameras. Sesshoumaru nearly snarled as Kagome's attention moved away from him, focusing on the blasted Fluffy Fan Club members who now made themselves known.

The teacher, animated for the first time that day, moved to the door with astonishing speed for one so advanced in years.

"Shoo! Scat! This is the last warning you're getting. Next time I'm sending you to Principal Kaede – the whole lot of you!"

A collective groan accompanied the trudging of many feet as the Fluffy Fan Club dispersed. In their wake a lonely piece of paper fluttered down the hallway.

Kagome caught Sesshoumaru's eye again, mouthing 'Fluffy' with a smirk. He ignored how it drew his attention to her soft pink lips – drawing a rumble from his beast – and narrowed his eyes at her, silently promising retribution should she feel the need to comment.

Returning to his usual near-inanimate state, the teacher moved in front of Kagome.

She stood up straight, and Sesshoumaru could practically smell her anxiety.

For the first time that day, Sesshoumaru sensed real nervousness from her, and he frowned. She seemed so confident in most matters that seeing her unbalanced now, over such a simple spell, left him troubled. It wasn't as bad as her panic and fear the night before – even the memory of that had his hackles rising, and his beast growling – but it was still disturbing to him.

Kagome carefully stepped into her circle. She closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. Sesshoumaru felt her drawing energy to herself, slowly, laboriously.

Something was off. The flow of that golden energy seemed weak, almost... tainted. The clouds-and-sunlight of her golden aura roiled into mostly clouds, the bright golden rays smothered nearly out.

After a long pause a thin, stuttering tendril of sickly yellow light rose from the circle, and after a few moments another joined it. They wafted into a dome shape that, rather than a solid field of energy, shifted and moved like smoke – her 'shield' filled with gaping holes that any enemy could use to breach her defenses.

Sesshoumaru could pick up the smell of sweat, and saw perspiration dotting Kagome's forehead. Her brow was wrinkled so deeply in concentration that she nearly seemed to be in pain.

_This is wrong,_ he thought, disturbed. _This not simply weak magic. This is... something else. _

The teacher shook his head, looking confused. "Ms. Higurashi, is something blocking your energy? Your power almost appears to be atrophied." His brow puckered, a bothered look coming into his expression.

Kagome slitted her eyes open, shook her head, and dropped the shield. She was breathing heavily, practically gasping out the words. "I don't... know... I used... to be... able to do this."

The teacher shook his head. "This is unusual. Your powers almost seem to have been-"

With a groan, Kagome fell to her knees, and then to her side.

Sesshoumaru found himself kneeling next to her before he thought about it. He ignored the teacher's shocked "Oh dear" as he lifted her in his arms. Her eyes were closed, her narrow ribcage heaving as she gasped for air. A fine sheen of sweat had broken out all over her body, almost as though she had run a marathon, and goosebumps ran up her arms and legs.

_Something is very wrong._

Strands of hair clung to her flushed face, and he brushed it back, watching the rapid movement of her eyes under her eyelids. She was unconscious, whimpering as though suffering from nightmares. _What malady ails her?_

Inu-Yasha drew near, and Sesshoumaru found himself growling without even looking up from the girl. He could smell his brother's confusion and concern for her, but he did not care. She was _his_ responsibility, and he would be the one to see her safe and protected.

"I will take her to see a physician," he informed the teacher as he left, his human charge cradled in his arms.


End file.
